October 27, 2026
GTA 6 Review Copies Are Reportedly Going Out to Critics Now
Insider NateTheHate says Rockstar has started sending GTA 6 review copies to the press, with reviews still due on November 18. Rockstar has not confirmed it.
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Critics may already be playing GTA 6. On October 26, the well-known insider NateTheHate posted that Rockstar has started sending review copies of the game to media outlets, and repeated that the review embargo is November 18, one day before launch on November 19.
Rockstar and Take-Two haven't said anything about review copies or a review date, so this is still a rumor.
What's new since last week?
When we covered the leaked review schedule on October 24, the claim was that copies would reach critics before the end of October. NateTheHate had said earlier this month that codes hadn't gone out yet. His new post says that step has now happened, which fits the timeline from the earlier leak.
No outlet has said publicly that it has the game yet. That is normal: reviewers usually aren't allowed to mention having a copy until the embargo lifts or Rockstar announces it.
How long will reviewers get?
If codes went out around October 26 and the embargo lifts on November 18, critics would have a bit over three weeks with the game. That is a comfortable window for a game the size of GTA 6.
Watch out for spoilers
More copies in more hands means a bigger chance of story spoilers leaking before launch. Fans are already worried that copies could reach YouTube channels known for posting game endings early, though nothing like that has been confirmed. Leaked clips of Lucia have also been spreading this month, and some of them are fakes.
If you want to go in fresh, it's a good time to mute words like "GTA 6 ending" and "GTA 6 spoilers" on social media and turn off autoplay on video sites.
What happens next
- November 12: preloading starts at local midnight, so you can have the game installed before the reviews land.
- November 18: reviews expected, if the leak is right.
- November 19: GTA 6 unlocks on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
We'll update this page if Rockstar or a major outlet confirms review copies are out. In the meantime, our launch day checklist covers what you can already get ready.
