When Do GTA 6 Reviews Come Out? The Reported November 18 Embargo

Critics' reviews of GTA 6 are reportedly due on November 18, 2026, one day before the game unlocks on November 19. The date comes from insider NateTheHate, who reported that Rockstar has started sending review codes to media outlets, and it has been picked up widely since.

Rockstar itself has not announced a review date or confirmed that codes are out. Until it does, treat November 18 as likely rather than certain.

Why the date is believable

It matches how Rockstar has handled its last two big launches. Reviews of GTA 5 went up on September 16, 2013, a day before its release, and reviews of Red Dead Redemption 2 appeared on October 25, 2018, also a day before release. A one-day gap gives critics time to play a very long game while keeping the reviews close to launch, when attention is highest.

It also fits the rest of the schedule. The preload opened on November 10, boxed copies reach shops from November 12, and the game unlocks on November 19.

Scores you may already have seen

Some reports point to star ratings showing on GTA 6's PlayStation Store page before release. Those are not critic reviews. They are store ratings from a small number of accounts, and they say nothing reliable about the game. Ignore any “review score” that appears before the embargo lifts.

How to read the reviews without spoilers

Most outlets keep story spoilers out of launch reviews, but headlines, thumbnails and comment sections do not always follow the same rules. If you want the story fresh, read the verdict and the score, skip the screenshots, and stay away from video reviews until you have played the opening hours.

Look for what reviewers say about the things previews could not test: how the wanted system and witnesses feel over many hours, how often the car-theft and fence loop gets repetitive, how the relationship between Jason and Lucia plays out, and how the game runs on base PS5 and Xbox Series S. Those answers will matter more than the headline number.

What this changes for you

Not much, if you have already pre-ordered. If you are still deciding whether to buy, or which edition, the reviews arrive with a day to spare, and the Vintage Vice City Pack is still included with purchases made by November 20.

One catch: on PlayStation, starting the preload can end your chance of a pre-order refund. If you are waiting for reviews before committing, wait before preloading too. We will add a round-up of the main verdicts here once the embargo lifts.