GTA 6 Puts the Delay Behind It: Take-Two Reports 1.39 Billion

Take-Two confirmed 1.39 billion in pre-orders for GTA 6 on August 7, exceeding expectations, and Zelnick spoke of "unprecedented" levels.

Today, August 7, Take-Two has put actual figures on the table regarding the GTA 6 phenomenon, and these aren’t analyst estimates or mere rumors. These are the company’s official results for the first quarter of the fiscal year, and the company reported $1.39 billion in net pre-orders, exceeding the range it had set itself ($1.32–1.37 billion), as well as $1.5 billion in net revenue, up 2% from a year ago.

The important point isn’t just the number. It’s what CEO Strauss Zelnick said about pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VI: they’re at “levels never seen before, either at Take-Two or in the industry.” Zelnick didn’t reveal an exact figure for the game (Take-Two never breaks down sales for a single title prior to launch), but he did make it clear that the start of pre-orders, which opened on June 25, has been the best the company has ever seen.

The Numbers Backing Up the GTA 6 Hype

Until now, everything we knew about demand for GTA 6 came from store lines, screenshots of sold-out inventory, or estimates from stock market analysts. This time is different. These are audited figures that Take-Two is required to submit to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the company not only met but exceeded its own forecast for the quarter.

Take-Two also reaffirmed its full-year forecast: between $8,000 million and $8,200 million in bookings, a jump of nearly 20% over the previous year. This is the first time they’ve included GTA 6 in that estimate based on actual market data, rather than just the expectation that “something big” will happen in November.

“At levels never before seen, either at Take-Two or in the industry.” — Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two, on GTA VI pre-orders.

Burying the Delay Rumors—For Now

Every few weeks, the same rumor circulates: that GTA 6 is being delayed again. This result points in exactly the opposite direction. Not only has Take-Two not moved the November 19 release date, but it has built its entire annual forecast on the assumption that the game will launch on that day and generate revenue in this fiscal year. If there were serious concerns about a delay within the company, they wouldn’t have reaffirmed guidance that depends directly on the launch. There are 104 days left.

That’s not an absolute guarantee. Zelnick himself was cautious and warned that some of that demand might be front-loaded and that “a pre-order can be canceled.” But it is the first time the date has been backed by real money, not just Rockstar’s word.

What This Means for Those Who Have Already Pre-Ordered

For players who have already placed their bets on Jason and Lucia in Leonida, today’s message is simple. The machine is still running as planned, and Wall Street is putting a price tag on hype that until now had only been seen on social media. If you want to review what’s actually been confirmed about the game—and what’s still just a rumor—we’ve compiled all the official information here.

What Take-Two didn’t say today is exactly how many pre-orders GTA VI has. That figure, if it’s ever released, will likely come in the next quarterly report, by which time the game will have been on store shelves for weeks. Until then, we’ll just have to wait and keep an eye on the news as it comes in.