Investing.com -- Shares of Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ: TTWO) climbed 5% on Thursday morning, trading at approximately $238, following viral social media speculation that a pre-order window for Grand Theft Auto VI is set to open as early as this weekend.

The surge in investor interest stems from leaked screenshots of an alleged email from major retailer Best Buy, suggesting that pre-orders for the year’s most anticipated game will commence on Sunday, May 18. The emails, reportedly sent to members of Best Buy’s affiliate program, mention a 5% commission for creators who share pre-order links for physical editions of the game.

While the "leak" has energized the gaming community and pushed TTWO stock to its highest levels since January, official confirmation remains elusive.

Bloomberg News and other major outlets have been unable to verify the authenticity of the Best Buy email.

Rockstar Games and parent company Take-Two have not issued a formal statement regarding the pre-order date.

Retailers like Best Buy have recently updated GTA VI placeholder landing pages, though they do not currently offer active purchase options.

The speculation comes at a critical time for the publisher. Grand Theft Auto VI is currently locked in for a November 19, 2026 release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

The project has faced significant public scrutiny over its timeline. After originally targeting a 2025 window, the release was shifted to May 2026 before Rockstar officially pushed it to the current November date to "polish and perfect" the experience. Investors view a pre-order launch as a signal of confidence that the studio will meet its late-2026 deadline without further delays.

The timing of these rumors is particularly notable as Take-Two is scheduled to report its fourth-quarter and fiscal year 2026 results after market close on Thursday, May 21.

Analysts expect CEO Strauss Zelnick to address the rumors during the subsequent conference call. Investors are looking for any indication that GTA VI will exceed the $1 billion sales record set by its predecessor within its first 72 hours of release.