GTA VI release to boost Take-Two after 'Project Genie' slump, says Morgan Stanley ahead of earnings

Shares in Take-Two Interactive Software are set to be lifted by the long-awaited release of Grand Theft Auto VI later this year, according to analysts at Morgan Stanley. The release of the blockbuster video game, currently scheduled for November after several delays, should provide a "potent tailwind" for the stock, as hype around GTA's rollout gathers steam. NASDAQ-listed Take-Two stock is down by around 5.4% since the start of 2026, compared to an 11.3% rise for the broader index, after the publisher was swept up in fears of competition from AI models facing the video game sector. Its shares sank almost 10% on January 30 after Alphabet unveiled a new artificial intelligence model, Project Genie, which can create interactive digital 3D worlds from user prompts. But Morgan Stanley's analysis found that game publisher stocks tend to outperform in the run-up to the release of major game launches. Stocks in the sector have risen by 18% on average in the final 6 months before launch, according to Morgan Stanley. "These launches typically drive significant institutional and retail engagement with the stocks, particularly as marketing campaigns begin in the final 3-6 months," the analysts wrote. …