Review copies of Rockstar Games’ upcoming open-world action-adventure game, GTA VI, have reportedly been watermarked to prevent potential leaks.
Content creator ManaByte took to Twitter/X to report that GTA VI review copies have been watermarked, as the possibility of leaks has “really spooked” Rockstar Games. He mentioned that the version of the upcoming game received by reviewers’ will have their names flashing across the screen, which will allow the developer to identify the source of any leaked footage. Anyone caught distributing unauthorized footage will undoubtedly face a permanent blacklist from future Rockstar Games releases.
Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson responded by pointing out that such security measures are standard industry practice, particularly when publishers distribute review copies remotely. He didn’t agree with the idea that the possibility of leaks has “spooked” Rockstar Games. ManaByte said that the developer held supervised review events for Grand Theft Auto V back in 2013, and that watermarks being applied to review copies is a new approach for GTA. While Henderson agreed, he clarified that it’s industry standard for publishers to implement additional safeguards for remote reviews. He also mentioned that Rockstar Games is taking additional security precautions not mentioned by ManaByte.
As for whether the watermark could be bypassed by blurring captured footage before leaking it, ManaByte pointed out that a moving watermark make this difficult, as it can appear in multiple locations across the screen. He also mentioned seeing a version featuring a transparent grid of names covering the footage.
According to reliable insider Nate the Hate, review codes for GTA VI are now being sent out to media outlets and the embargo is set to lift in 3 weeks on November 18, 2026, a day ahead of the game’s release. Additionally, the pre-load for GTA VI will be live for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 12, 2026, at midnight local time. It will come with the latest version pre-installed, though an update may be rolled out closer to the game’s launch.
