After what feels like forever punya waiting game, GTA 6 may finally be moving into proper launch mode.
According to details reportedly sent to Best Buy affiliates in the US, Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-orders could begin on Monday, 18 May 2026. Nothing has been officially confirmed by Rockstar yet, and Eurogamer has contacted the studio to verify the report, but if the leak is accurate, it is a pretty strong sign that Rockstar and Take-Two are confident about the current release date: 19 November 2026.
That matters because GTA 6 has already been delayed twice. The game was originally expected in autumn 2025, before Rockstar shifted it to 26 May 2026. That date also did not survive, with the studio later moving the launch again to 19 November. So yes, fans have every reason to be paranoid whenever the word “delay” appears near this game.
But pre-orders starting around six months before launch would usually mean the publisher is ready to properly open the marketing floodgates. For Malaysian and SEA players, this is the moment where things start getting real: console upgrade plans, physical vs digital pricing, local retailer listings, and whether you need to start saving now for what will almost certainly be one of the biggest gaming purchases of the year.
GTA 6 is currently confirmed for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. No PC release date has been announced in this report, so PC kaki may still need to wait and see, as usual with Rockstar’s big releases.
There is also a PlayStation angle here. Sony already has a marketing deal tied to GTA 6 publisher Take-Two, and PlayStation recently pushed PS4 users to upgrade to PS5 if they want to play the game at launch. That timing feels very deliberate. In Malaysia, where plenty of players are still holding on to PS4s because PS5 prices are not exactly small money, GTA 6 could become the game that finally forces the upgrade conversation.
Fans are also hoping this means a third trailer is near. The most recent GTA 6 trailer dropped more than a year ago, so if pre-orders really are opening soon, Rockstar will probably need fresh footage to restart the hype machine properly.
The money side is the big question. GTA 6 has reportedly cost somewhere between $1bn and $1.5bn to make, though Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick has only said the project is “expensive” without confirming a number. He has also discussed pricing before, saying the company’s job is to charge far less than the value being delivered. That is publisher-speak, sure, but it comes after earlier reporting suggested GTA 6 could potentially retail at $100.
If that price ever becomes reality, Malaysian players are looking at a serious wallet hit — easily well above RM400 before local pricing, platform fees, or special editions enter the chat. Even if it lands lower, GTA 6 will likely set the tone for how premium AAA games are priced in the next few years.
Away from the launch hype, Rockstar is also facing pressure from MPs and the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain over the firing of staff members last October, a move critics have described as union busting. That issue is still hanging over the company while the world waits for its biggest game.
For now, the takeaway is simple: if the Best Buy affiliate leak is legit, GTA 6 pre-orders may begin on 18 May, and the November 2026 release date suddenly looks much more believable.
Source: Eurogamer