People have speculated online that leaks of Grand Theft Auto VI helped sink Take-Two Interactive Software stock on Monday. One analyst doesn't think so.
Nick McKay, senior research analyst at Freedom Capital Markets, attributed the drop in share price to speculation that the videogame could be delayed again.
"The rumors appear to be low-quality in my estimation," he wrote in a Monday note. McKay noted that the release date was affirmed in the new trailer and by Rockstar Games official Rob Nelson. In an Aug. 28 Famitsu article, translated by GamesRadar+, Nelson stated that the game remains on track to be published on time.
Shares of Take-Two dropped 6.7% to $219.70. The stock was the fifth worst-performer in the S&P 500 on Monday.
Elements of the game were leaked earlier this month, according to the company. Rockstar Games said in an Aug. 26 statement on X that having leaked gameplay videos was "heartbreaking" for the team. The publisher also apologized for the game's monthslong delay. GTA VI was initially supposed to release last fall, before Take-Two delayed the push to May 2026, and most recently, to Nov. 19.
A group of Jefferies analysts said the leaks had minimal impact.
Bank of America analyst Omar Dessouky said the game is unlikely to be delayed again. "With a full gameplay trailer now out, we see the risk of a further delay as very low, since the reveal signals the game is playable," he wrote in a note.
After the new trailer launched on Netflix and YouTube on Aug. 27, shares closed at $235.39 on Friday, up 1% from Thursday's close. However, this modest gain wasn't enough to fuel an investor rally.
It's no secret that players are eager for the next installment in the series, which has been awaiting release since 2013, and investors are equally uneasy.