Danny Weber
Rockstar may skip early review copies of GTA 6 to prevent leaks before the 2026 launch. Insiders suggest closed-door events for journalists instead.
Rockstar Games might skip sending early review copies of GTA 6 to journalists and bloggers to prevent leaks ahead of the November 19, 2026 launch. Rumors suggest the company is considering closed-door events instead of the standard review key approach, where the media would play under strictly controlled conditions.
The discussion was sparked by a Best Buy email stating that preorders for the physical edition of Grand Theft Auto VI would begin on May 18, 2026. Insider Tom Henderson confirmed the email's authenticity but noted that preorders probably won't go live anytime soon. He suggested that concrete GTA 6 news might emerge around July or August.
On the Insider Gaming Weekly podcast, blogger Nukov claimed that GTA 6 will have no preview events or early review copies. Brazilian journalist Pedro Henrique Lutti Lippe echoed this, saying journalists might be invited to a private closed-door event where they could spend several days with the game in a supervised room.
This approach makes sense for Rockstar given the massive scale of GTA 6 and the risk of early leaks. If the rumors prove true, the company would be prioritizing information control over the traditional media cycle, forcing players to wait for official materials and reviews until nearly launch day.
© A. Krivonosov