Disc-Less, Pricey, and Full of Promise: Take-Two's GTA VI Pre-Orders Begin with $368 Target and Insider Caution
25.06.2026 - 17:13:06 | boerse-global.de
Rockstar Games this week threw open pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VI, but players expecting a traditional physical disc will be disappointed. The boxed version contains only a download code — a deliberate move to lock out the secondhand market. Without a disc, retailers like GameStop cannot sell used copies, and Take-Two keeps full control over both margins and future resale value.
The standard edition costs $79.99, the Ultimate Edition $99.99. Anyone who pre-orders before November 20 receives the Vintage Vice City Pack, while digital buyers also get one free month of GTA+. Customers can pre-load the game as early as November 12, with the full release set for November 19, 2026. Rockstar has promised a genuine disc version later, but not in time for launch.
Wall Street largely welcomed the news. Thirty of the 32 analysts covering Take-Two rate the shares a buy. Bank of America raised its price target to $368 from $320, citing booming online revenue potential. Analyst Omar Dessouky expects GTA Online to monetise at least as well as Fortnite, projecting bookings of $2.2 billion for fiscal 2028 — some $900 million above his prior estimate. The optimism rests on a shift in player spending: Rockstar is aiming for an average of $60 per player per year, up from $35 on earlier titles.
Other firms followed suit. Jefferies reiterated a $300 target, Piper Sandler held at $280, and DA Davidson also stuck with $300. BTIG initiated coverage with a buy recommendation.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Take-Two?
The options market flashed a similarly bullish signal. On Wednesday, traders exchanged 33,800 contracts on Take-Two, with calls accounting for about 21,700 of them. The most striking single block was 6,810 contracts on the $300 call expiring July 17, 2026, from an open interest of just 842 contracts beforehand — fresh, directional bets on a rising stock.
The underlying financials support the enthusiasm. For fiscal 2026, net bookings climbed 19% to $6.72 billion, with recurring player spending making up 78% of that total. Management’s guidance for fiscal 2027 revenue sits between $7.9 billion and $8.1 billion, while some models push as high as $8.2 billion. In the launch quarter (the second quarter of fiscal 2027, which includes December), analysts expect sales of $3.28 billion — an 86% surge from the same period a year earlier. The market is also pencilling in an operating profit of $900 million for that quarter. A handful of long-term projections see the stock above $500 by 2031.
Yet the picture is not without shadows. Director Jon Moses sold 500 shares on June 23 — a small move, but a reminder that not all insiders are betting the farm. More critically, Take-Two’s own management has taken a cautious tone, forecasting only a slight return to profitability for fiscal 2027. An additional delay to the launch or an overly aggressive monetisation strategy that alienates players could puncture the lofty expectations for 2027 and 2028.
Take-Two at a turning point? This analysis reveals what investors need to know now.
The stock has rallied roughly 10–13% over the past month, nearing its 52-week high of around €225, though it remains slightly in the red year?to?date. With the pre-order campaign now in full swing, the next hard data point arrives on November 19 — when GTA VI finally reaches store shelves, real or virtual.
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Take-Two Stock: New Analysis - 25 June
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