Although the multiple delays may have dampened the enthusiasm of some fans, the Grand Theft Auto 6 fever is growing each day as we get closer to the November 19 launch, as is the thirst for more information on the game.
While more leaks in the coming months are not entirely out of the question, Take-Two is reportedly going to limit them as much as possible by not releasing physical copies of the game at launch. A sensible choice, considering what some crazed fans have attempted to do in the past.
Speaking on X, Reece "Kiwi Talkz" Reilly, who consistently talks with former Rockstar Games employees, commented on the possibility of the sixth entry in the series not launching in retail stores. "GTA 6 is going to be the biggest launch in entertainment history and by a wide margin, nothing will ever come close to it," Kiwi Talkz said. "GTA is a way bigger beast now than it was when GTA 5 launched, and I'd bet all my money that this game would leak early if there are physical discs."
Surprisingly enough, the danger of copies getting into the hands of players a few days earlier could not be the real reason why Grand Theft Auto 6 may not hit retail stores at launch. "Unfortunately, there are a number of crazy Rockstar fans that would 100% break into retail stores and manufacturing facilities to steal discs, and people on the inside would leak it as well," Kiwi Talkz said.
This prediction is wholly justified."I have heard stories from Rockstar devs over the years of nutty fans trying to get into their buildings to get any info they can from faking IDs to flying drones above windows to try to get images/video," Kiwi Talkz added. Talk about emulating your favorite video game characters!
As "people are breaking into card stores to steal Pokémon Cards because of the hype and demand", as X user Phischer Stanley highlighted, it really wouldn't be surprising to see crazed fans pull an illegal stunt to get that coveted early look at Grand Theft Auto 6. And it wouldn't even be unprecedented either: back in 2023, some very early copies of Starfield illicitly got into the hands of people who did not hesitate to share more on the game before its launch.
Whether it’s flying drones or faking IDs, the extreme lengths some fans are willing to go for a glimpse of Grand Theft Auto 6 proves that this isn't just a game launch. If Take-Two does indeed go with a digital-first strategy, it could mark a historic turning point for the industry, indicating that the risk of leaks may outweigh the rewards of a retail presence.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
