NEW YORK, June 19, 2026, 06:09 EDT
- Shares of Take-Two finished Thursday at $239.28, jumping 4.93%, as Rockstar announced June 25 preorders for Grand Theft Auto VI.
- U.S. markets are closed Friday for Juneteenth, with TTWO up almost 13% from last Friday’s close through the shortened week.
- The coming week is about preorder pricing, launch confidence, and if Take-Two will tell investors anything new on GTA Online.
Take-Two Interactive Software shares finished Thursday up 4.93% at $239.28 with 7.24 million shares exchanging hands. Rockstar Games has now given a date for Grand Theft Auto VI preorders, offering a clearer near-term story for the stock just before the long U.S. market weekend. Nasdaq is closed Friday for Juneteenth.
This is hitting now since investors have missed out on trading the first full session after the news broke. Take-Two (TTWO) shares closed at $211.75 on June 12 and by Thursday’s close, the stock was up nearly 13% over four sessions. The rally has switched June’s slower trading into a renewed wager on Rockstar’s release lineup.
Grand Theft Auto VI preorders open June 25, Rockstar’s game page says, confirming PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S as launch platforms. Fans get a repeat of the Vice City setting and the main characters, Jason and Lucia. But most of the market is watching for price and revenue talk, not plot.
First up is the price. A typical U.S. price close to $70 would set up one type of revenue curve; higher-end editions or paid early access would put it on a different track. BMO Capital Markets analyst Brian Pitz is sticking with his outperform call, a $280 target and “top pick” status, noting “the game’s price remains a key question.” Investors
The latest rally puts the focus back on the bigger question for Take-Two: how much hinges on one launch in fiscal 2027. In May, the company projected fiscal 2027 net bookings between $8.0 billion and $8.2 billion. CEO Strauss Zelnick at the time said he expects “new record levels” of operating performance that year. Take-Two Interactive
Wall Street expected better. Reuters said last month that Take-Two’s fiscal 2027 bookings forecast landed below the $9.10 billion analyst consensus from LSEG. The company did keep its Nov. 19 GTA VI launch date. Wedbush Securities analyst Alicia Reese called the launch date “the primary focus” ahead of earnings. Reuters
Competition is a factor, but it’s not the top story here. Take-Two still faces off with Electronic Arts and Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard for players and their dollars. But GTA VI is getting outsized attention, partly thanks to Rockstar’s history and the GTA franchise’s staying power. Executives told Reuters on a post-earnings call that GTA V has sold nearly 230 million copies since 2013.
Another question is GTA Online. D.A. Davidson’s Wyatt Swanson said there is still an overhang from “the lack of details surrounding the next iteration of GTA Online.” That matters, Swanson said, because online play and recurring spending have kept the franchise generating revenue well after game sales. Barron’s
Take-Two shares gained nearly 5% Thursday, beating the Nasdaq Composite’s 1.9% climb to 26,517.93. The stock outpaced the main technology index ahead of the holiday, doing more than just following the broader market move.
The downside risk hasn’t gone away. A new delay, pushback over preorder pricing, soft early demand, or no details on GTA Online could hit the stock, which is already loaded up on hopes for one launch window. May’s guidance made it clear management wasn’t ready to offer much more upside, and that stance isn’t likely to shift just because preorders are opening.
Next week brings a shorter stretch for markets, but it could prove key. U.S. markets open again on Monday. The first big check comes Thursday, June 25, as investors watch for signs that GTA VI preorders back up Take-Two’s fiscal 2027 outlook or just kick concerns forward to how the game launches in November.
