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News · Updated 24 Oct 2026

When do GTA 6 reviews come out? The review embargo

Short answer: Rockstar hasn’t announced the embargo time. Reports in October 2026 say review copies go out before the end of October and that reviews will be published before the 19 November launch. That would give critics about three weeks with the game. For comparison, GTA 5’s reviews went live one day before its release.

By Jake Morrison · Sources checked by GTA6Geek Editorial · Published 23 Oct 2026 · Updated 24 Oct 2026

On this page

What’s known
How past Rockstar games were reviewed
Watch out for spoilers
Reported: embargo on 18 November (update 24 Oct)
Sources
What to read next

What’s known

Question	Answer	Status
Review embargo date and time	Not announced	Unconfirmed
Reviews before launch?	Yes, according to Insider Gaming	Reported
Review copies sent	Before the end of October 2026 (insider NateTheHate)	Reported
Do reviews matter to Take-Two?	Yes, CEO Strauss Zelnick says scores are important	Official

How past Rockstar games were reviewed

Game	Reviews went live	Metacritic
GTA 5 (2013)	One day before release	97
Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018)	Before release	97

Watch out for spoilers

Once review copies are out, leaks and spoilers become more likely. Rockstar takes down leaked footage, and story spoilers spread fast on social media. If you want to go in fresh, avoid GTA 6 videos from early November.

We will add the exact embargo time and a summary of review scores here as soon as they are public.

Reported: embargo on 18 November (update 24 Oct)

Rumor On 23 October a ResetEra user known as “BlackBate” claimed that GTA 6 reviews can go live on 18 November 2026, one day before launch, with scores expected around 12:01–1:01 PM CET (6–7 AM EST). Some outlets may reportedly have to wait until launch day.

Rockstar has not announced a review date. Per reports, review codes had not been sent yet in late October. We will update this page when the embargo is official. Until then, treat 18 November as unconfirmed.

Sources

Last checked: 24 Oct 2026. Labels: Official = Rockstar or platform holder, Reported = previews or press, Unconfirmed = not stated by Rockstar.

Frequently asked questions

When does the GTA 6 review embargo lift?

Rockstar hasn’t said. Reports say reviews will be out before the 19 November 2026 launch.

Have critics got GTA 6 yet?

Copies are reported to go out before the end of October 2026.

What did GTA 5 score on Metacritic?

97. Red Dead Redemption 2 also scored 97.