GTA 6 PS5 Physical Copies Could Expose Codes to Thieves

Grand Theft Auto VI has launched at retail in a "physical" form that ditches the traditional disc, and GameSpot reports that the packaging choice may have introduced a security problem. Rockstar's game is being sold as a digital code-in-box at retailers, but a packaging decision appears to have left those codes exposed to a surprisingly simple trick.

How the code-in-box trick works

According to posts shared on the forum ResetEra by users who received physical versions of the game, the included digital code can potentially be seen through the packaging with nothing more than a flashlight. That means a thief could presumably read and redeem the code without ever opening the box, leaving the buyer with a worthless purchase. The report notes this applies at least to some copies, based on early user accounts.

What this means for GTA 6 buyers

Grand TheftAuto VI is an action-adventure game from Rockstar, released on PS5. Its standard edition launched on November 19, 2026, and is available on MegaGame for $49.00.

For PlayStation players, the safest route may simply be buying the game digitally rather than risking a code-in-box copy that someone could have already redeemed. Anyone picking up a physical version should check that their code works before leaving the store.

Available on MegaGame: Grand Theft Auto VI standard Edition

Source: GameSpot