Grand Theft Auto VI launches in under a week, and reports of a possible flaw in the retail edition are already spreading. Users on ResetEra and X say the game’s download code can be read through the packaging, without opening the box, if a bright enough flashlight is shone through it.
The code is said to be exposed because it’s printed directly on the inside cover of the GTA VI case, not on a separate paper insert or under a scratch-off layer. Only a handful of photos showing codes lit up through the side of the box have surfaced so far, which makes it hard to tell how widespread the problem really is.
A ResetEra poster claims the flaw could be confined to international releases. US boxes are said to include a backing layer that masks the code, which would keep it from showing through the case.
If the flaw turns out to be widespread, it could create real risk for people buying physical copies. Downloading GTA VI takes only a code, a console, and an internet connection. If someone can get that code without buying the box or even opening it, a shopper could end up paying for a copy that has already been redeemed.
The concerns also relate to how Take-Two and Rockstar Games define a “physical” game. Traditional physical releases include a disc or cartridge that serves as a key to play, even if it doesn’t contain the entire game or its final version. That key can be given to another person.
Rockstar’s physical GTA VI is essentially another way to buy the digital game, and because of how digital licenses work, buyers don’t truly own it. If the flaw affects a large number of copies, some customers could end up with a game they can’t play.
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