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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2020-07-01</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>2020-07-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>138.4383</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>251654</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-07-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>140.0082</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>241654</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-07-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>145.0111</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>231654</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This transaction was effected pursuant to a previously established Rule 10b5-1 trading plan entered into by the Reporting Person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">These transactions are reported on separate lines due to the range of the sale price.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents a weighted average sales price of shares sold in multiple transactions at sales prices ranging from $138.375 to $138.69, 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="F4">Represents a weighted average sales price of shares sold in multiple transactions at sales prices ranging from $140.00 to $140.07, 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="F5">Represents a weighted average sales price of shares sold in multiple transactions at sales prices ranging from $145.00 to $145.19, 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="F6">Includes (i) 114,985 shares of Common Stock, (ii) 19,221 unvested time-based restricted stock units and (iii) 97,448 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>2020-07-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
