GTA 6 review copies may be locked down to stop early leaks

Rockstar and Take Two may be preparing an unusually strict review process for Grand Theft Auto 6. A new rumor claims journalists may not receive normal pre launch review codes. Instead, some reviewers could be required to travel to private locations and play the game under controlled conditions before launch.

The claim comes after a separate Best Buy Creators email suggested GTA 6 pre orders would open on May 18. That date passed without pre orders going live, even though several insiders had said the email looked legitimate. The situation has now created more questions around Rockstar’s pre launch plans.

The new review rumor comes from Brazilian games journalist PH Luppi Litte, who claimed that reviewers may be taken to secret locations for the review period. The purpose would be simple: prevent leaks before release. GTA 6 is one of the most anticipated games ever, so Rockstar and Take Two have a strong reason to control early access tightly.

This would be unusual for GTA, but not unheard of in the wider games industry. Some major releases have used review events or restricted access before. Konami held controlled review sessions for Metal Gear Solid V in 2015, while other major games such as Halo 3 and Half Life 2 also had strict pre release handling because of leak concerns.

Some players are already debating what this could mean. A strict review lockdown does not automatically mean the game is in trouble. It could simply mean Take Two wants to protect story details, gameplay surprises, and launch day marketing. GTA 6 will draw huge attention from leakers, streamers, and data miners, so a cautious approach would not be surprising.

At the same time, some fans worry that limiting normal review access could hide performance problems or unfinished areas. That concern is common whenever publishers restrict review copies, especially for a game this large. Until Rockstar or Take Two explains the plan, both possibilities remain speculation.

Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick recently said GTA 6 is now about 18 months behind its original date. That comment may help explain some of the confusion around pre orders. If older retail plans were built around a previous launch window, the Best Buy email could have been based on outdated timing or an internal mistake.

The game’s current launch date is November 19. Before then, Take Two still has several chances to clarify pre orders, review access, and marketing plans. A third trailer is also expected by many fans, especially with Take Two’s latest financial results coming soon.

For now, the main takeaway is that GTA 6 may have one of the most controlled review rollouts in modern gaming. Given the size of the game and the history of leaks around Rockstar projects, that would make sense. But until official details arrive, the secret location review plan should be treated as a rumor.