GTA 6 Review Codes Are Reportedly Out With a November 18 Embargo — Players Get One Day to Read Scores
Leaker NateTheHate says Rockstar has begun distributing GTA 6 review code with an embargo of November 18, one day before launch. Insider Gaming says it independently verified the date. Neither Rockstar nor Take-Two has confirmed it, and no outlet has publicly said it holds a copy.
Overview
On October 26-27, leaker NateTheHate said on X that Rockstar Games has begun distributing GTA 6 review code, with the embargo set for November 18 — one day before the game ships.
That matches the earlier rhythm. Earlier in October he said codes hadn't gone out yet but would before the month ended; he now says that has happened. Insider Gaming says it independently verified the November 18 date, so the claim currently rests on two sources — but neither Rockstar nor Take-Two has confirmed it, and no outlet has publicly acknowledged holding a copy.
If accurate, outlets with code get roughly three weeks to play through and file. For players, the window between reading scores on Nov 18 and the game unlocking on Nov 19 is one day. One report puts the lift at around 6-7am ET on Nov 18, though the exact time is unconfirmed.
Why this schedule? A day-before embargo is how Rockstar handled its last two majors: GTA 5 reviews landed on September 16, 2013 (a day before release) and Red Dead Redemption 2 on October 25, 2018 (a day before its Oct 26 launch). It lets critics play a build as close to final as possible, at the cost of holding verdicts until the last moment.
What it means for buyers: read several reviews on Nov 18 and you still have a day to cancel a pre-order if it isn't for you — provided outlets and creators weren't also asked to hold until Nov 19.
On the source: Reddit's gaming-leaks community named NateTheHate its 2025 Leaker of the Year, and two of his earlier GTA 6 calls held up (the November date would stick; an August marketing push). Until Rockstar or an outlet holding code says otherwise, though, this stays a leaker's word.
Related: Earlier review-embargo report · Final countdown calendar · Release date confirmed
Source
- Shane the Gamer: GTA 6 Review Embargo Reportedly Set for 18 November
- ITHome via QQ News: 消息称 R 星已向媒体发放评测码
- 3DM: 消息称评测码已发放，11 月 18 日解禁