<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-11-07</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000946581</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TAKE TWO INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TTWO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001399513</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Goldstein Lainie</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>622 BROADWAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10012</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <officerTitle>Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-11-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>56167</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>49.7614</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>485166</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents a weighted average sales price of shares sold in multiple transactions at sales prices ranging from $49.27 to $50.01, inclusive. Upon request, the Reporting Person undertakes to provide the full sale information regarding the number of shares sold at each price increment to the Commission, the Issuer or any security holder of the Issuer.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes (i) 77,443 shares of Common Stock, (ii) 23,962 unvested time-based restricted stock units, (iii) 124,768 unvested performance-based restricted stock units and (iv) 258,993 unvested performance-based restricted stock awards. Such unvested awards will vest, or fail to vest, in accordance with the terms of the applicable award agreements.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Lainie Goldstein</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-11-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
