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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-03-29</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>110 WEST 44TH STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10036</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>2018-03-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>78969</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>97.78</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>271050</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This represents shares withheld by the Issuer for payment of withholding tax liability incurred upon the vesting of restricted stock originally granted on November 7, 2012, which vested on March 29, 2018.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes (i) 172,589 shares of Common Stock, (ii) 15,429 unvested time-based restricted stock units and (iii) 83,032 unvested performance-based restricted stock units. 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>2018-03-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
