6 Stocks to Watch as Grand Theft Auto Prepares to Shake Up the Gaming Industry

From Rockstar Games to GameStop, the next generation of virtual worlds could create major opportunities for investors.

The metaverse isn’t dead. It might just be waiting for the right game to bring it to life.

For years, technology companies have spent billions trying to convince consumers that the future belongs to virtual worlds. Virtual reality headsets, digital real estate, online avatars, and blockchain gaming were all supposed to revolutionize how we interact online.

But perhaps the biggest breakthrough won’t come from a traditional metaverse company.

It could come from Grand Theft Auto.

With Grand Theft Auto VI approaching, Rockstar Games and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive, have an opportunity to push the gaming industry into a new era.

And for investors, the opportunity could extend far beyond one video game.

At BuckBully, we’re watching six publicly traded companies positioned across the gaming, artificial intelligence, virtual economy, and retail industries.

Our thesis is simple: The next metaverse boom may not be about putting on a headset. It may be about entering a virtual world that people never want to leave.

Grand Theft Auto VI: The potential spark behind the next gaming boom

Rockstar has scheduled GTA VI for November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with a standard launch price of $79.99.

The opportunity extends beyond opening-week sales.

GTA Online has already demonstrated how virtual worlds can support property ownership, businesses, vehicle customization, social interaction, and recurring player spending.

Rockstar’s official Cfx Marketplace also allows creators to distribute custom assets for FiveM and RedM, providing a real example of a creator-driven ecosystem around its games.

Imagine the next evolution: virtual concerts, player-operated businesses, customized communities, interactive advertising, and AI characters that respond naturally to players.

Not all of those possibilities have been announced for GTA VI. But the direction of gaming technology makes them worth watching.

BuckBully’s outlook: GTA VI could renew investor enthusiasm for gaming and virtual-world technology. However, a successful launch would not automatically translate into higher stock prices for every company associated with the industry.

Six companies positioned for the next gaming revolution

1. Take-Two Interactive (TTWO) — The GTA powerhouse

Take-Two owns Rockstar Games, making it the most direct public-market investment in GTA VI’s commercial success.

Beyond game sales, investors should watch GTA Online engagement, GTA+ subscriptions, recurring player spending, and future creator monetization.

The major question isn’t simply how many copies GTA VI sells. It’s how much revenue the franchise can generate over the following five to ten years.

Bull case: GTA VI becomes a long-lasting entertainment ecosystem.

Bear case: High expectations, development costs, or weaker-than-expected recurring revenue pressure the stock.

2. Roblox (RBLX) — The virtual economy already operating

Roblox already provides something metaverse investors have spent years imagining: a virtual economy where developers create experiences, sell digital items, and earn real income.

According to Roblox, its creators earned more than $1.5 billion in 2025, demonstrating that virtual-world economies are more than just a concept.

As GTA brings more attention to immersive gaming, Roblox could benefit from renewed interest in user-generated experiences.

But competition is heating up. Google’s newly reported collaboration with Unity on AI-powered game creation illustrates how quickly barriers to building virtual worlds could fall.

Bull case: More users, stronger monetization, and continued creator growth.

Bear case: Competition, moderation costs, and valuation pressures.

3. Nvidia (NVDA) — The technology behind virtual worlds

Nvidia supplies graphics processors and AI computing technology used across gaming, digital simulations, and immersive applications.

Future virtual worlds may require more sophisticated graphics, realistic environments, and intelligent non-player characters.

Nvidia has exposure to these broader technological trends even if one particular game isn’t built around its hardware.

Bull case: Gaming and AI computing demand expand together.

Bear case: Expensive valuations, competitive pressure, and uneven AI spending.

4. Meta Platforms (META) — Betting on digital social life

Meta is developing immersive technologies, AI products, and augmented-reality hardware that could change how people interact with digital environments.

GTA’s potential success could reinforce the idea that virtual spaces have value beyond traditional gaming.

However, GTA VI is not an announced Meta VR product, and consumers may prefer conventional screens over headsets.

Bull case: AI glasses, immersive computing, and virtual social experiences gain adoption.

Bear case: Massive development spending fails to produce sufficient returns.

5. Unity Software (U) — Building the tools for tomorrow’s games

Unity provides software for creating interactive 3D environments, mobile games, and virtual experiences.

The company’s opportunity comes from helping developers build their own games, not from directly powering GTA VI.

Recent reporting on Google’s AI-powered Playground initiative with Unity adds another potential growth angle: making game creation accessible to people without traditional programming skills.

Bull case: AI-powered development expands the number of creators and games.

Bear case: Competition, inconsistent profitability, and challenges monetizing its tools.

6. GameStop (GME) — The wildcard investment

GameStop deserves a place on this watchlist, but for a different reason.

Unlike Rockstar, Roblox, or Unity, GameStop isn’t primarily developing a metaverse platform. Its opportunity comes from gaming retail, collectibles, and its evolving investment strategy.

GameStop’s second-quarter fiscal 2026 results offer several reasons to pay attention:

Quarterly collectibles sales

$356.3M

+57% year over year

Quarterly operating income

$160.2M

Company’s highest Q2

GameStop also reported significant financial assets and an investment in eBay shares. Its growing collectibles business is particularly interesting as gaming, trading cards, entertainment merchandise, and resale markets overlap.

There is also renewed attention on management’s confidence. CEO Ryan Cohen purchased additional GameStop shares during September, according to securities filings reported by Barron’s.

How GTA VI could help GameStop: A major gaming release could increase interest in consoles, accessories, gaming merchandise, and gift cards. However, GTA VI’s physical retail format includes a download code rather than a conventional game disc, potentially limiting some traditional resale opportunities.

GameStop could benefit from the excitement surrounding the release, but that is an indirect thesis, not a guaranteed sales windfall.

Bull case: Collectibles growth, operational improvements, and strategic investments unlock value.

Bear case: Volatile share prices, declining traditional game retail sales, and uncertainty surrounding capital allocation.

At BuckBully, we’re especially interested in the intersection of gaming and collectibles. GameStop represents a different type of opportunity from a pure metaverse software company.

BuckBully’s metaverse stock watchlist

These are thematic ratings, not current stock valuation or price-target ratings.

Company	Symbol	Investment angle	BuckBully outlook
Take-Two	TTWO	GTA VI and online gaming	Strong direct exposure
Nvidia	NVDA	AI and graphics infrastructure	Long-term technology play
Roblox	RBLX	Virtual creator economy	High-growth opportunity
Meta	META	AR, VR and AI	Diversified technology play
Unity	U	Game creation software	Speculative growth
GameStop	GME	Retail and collectibles	High-risk wildcard

What could trigger the next gaming stock rally?

The market will be watching several developments as 2026 comes to a close.

• GTA VI launch performance: Sales, reviews, player engagement, and Take-Two’s financial outlook.
• Creator economy expansion: New ways for players and developers to earn income through games and virtual content.
• AI-generated gaming: Tools that allow smaller developers to build increasingly sophisticated experiences.
• Gaming merchandise and collectibles: Whether blockbuster releases increase spending on related physical products.
• Recurring virtual spending: Whether gaming companies can generate consistent revenue through subscriptions, customization, and online experiences.

The key is separating genuine revenue growth from hype. A company can benefit from an exciting technology trend without its stock being attractively priced.

BuckBully’s final take: Be bullish on the technology, not just the hype

The original metaverse investment craze was built largely on promises about what virtual worlds might become.

The next chapter could be different.

Roblox has already demonstrated that creators can earn meaningful revenue. Rockstar has an established online gaming ecosystem and an official marketplace for community-created content. Nvidia, Meta, and Unity are developing technologies that could make future digital worlds more immersive.

And GameStop is attempting to reshape its business around collectibles, financial investments, and a changing gaming marketplace.

Our top GTA-specific stock to watch is Take-Two Interactive. Our creator-economy watch is Roblox. Our gaming infrastructure watch is Nvidia. And our speculative wildcard is GameStop.

GTA VI may not officially be called a metaverse. It doesn’t need to be.

If the next generation of gaming can combine entertainment, community, digital commerce, and creator-driven businesses, the industry could be entering a major new growth cycle.

The biggest winners, however, will be the companies that turn those possibilities into profitable, sustainable businesses.

Be Bullish On What You Hold.

BuckBully.com — Where Collectibles Meet Markets.

This article presents investment themes and scenarios, not guarantees of future returns. Stocks mentioned may be volatile and are not personalized financial recommendations.