The devastating leaks have left their mark, as Rockstar is now rumored to be scrapping traditional reviews in favor of a supervised, in-person system.

Grand Theft Auto 6 will change gaming forever, and in more ways than one can count. Case in point, reviews.

The upcoming sequel, which was delayed to May 26, 2026, could require media outlets and content creators to physically travel to a “secret” designated location just to play and review the game.

According to @DetectiveSeeds on X, reviewers hoping to get their hands on GTA 6 before launch may need to clear their calendars for several days. Instead of receiving review copies to play at home or in their offices as usual, they may need to fly to Rockstar's facilities to play the game under strict supervision.

The reasoning behind this extreme measure becomes clearer when you consider what happened to Rockstar just a few years ago. The company suffered one of the gaming industry's most devastating leaks when dozens of development footage clips from GTA 6 surfaced online, giving players an unauthorized early look at the game years before any official reveals.

Not to mention, GTA 6 was subject to further leaks, including the premature release of its first trailer, prompting Rockstar to drop the second trailer out of nowhere two years later.

Viewed from this perspective, it’s clear that the multiple incidents surrounding GTA 6 have left a mark on Rockstar’s already tight-clad approach to security.

To be fair, this wouldn’t be the first time someone in the video game industry has done something similar. Hideo Kojima, previously with Konami, invited reviewers to what they called boot camps for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. The Japanese company flew representatives to specific locations where they could only play the game under script supervision, guaranteeing that no footage would leave the building.

Video game reviews often require extensive playtime to properly evaluate all aspects of a game. How reviewers would be able to experience enough of the game to write comprehensive reviews within just a few days at a controlled location remains a major question. These restrictions also mean that video creators will need to work with whatever facilities and equipment the company provides, potentially limiting their creative control.

Finally, while Rockstar would likely cover travel and accommodation costs for invited media, smaller outlets and independent creators might find themselves excluded from early coverage simply because they can't afford to send someone away for several days. This could create an even more exclusive club of major outlets dominating early coverage.

However, given that Rockstar and GTA 6 are unique in that everyone is pretty much expecting the game to break precedent and do the impossible, including becoming the first game to sell for a base price of $100, all of this criticism and concerns could all end up being water under the bridge, especially if the game ends up being as good as expected.

For now, these reports remain unconfirmed, and plans could certainly change months ahead of the game’s release. Based on the evidence we’ve seen so far, including the company’s decision to implement a return-to-office mandate, their willingness to go to extraordinary lengths to protect GTA6 could eventually lead to a similar setup for reviewers, media outlets, and content creators.