GTA 6 download codes expire only 170 days after launch in Japan - Video Games Chronicle

What the report says

Video Games Chronicle reported that Japanese buyers of Grand Theft Auto 6 who purchase a boxed PlayStation 5 download code will have a limited window to redeem it. According to details the outlet said appear on Rockstar’s support page, the Japanese PS5 code-in-a-box version expires 170 days after its issuance date, identified as the game’s launch day, November 19. The same support information also says GTA 6 can be pre-loaded from November 12, 2026.

VGC said the short redemption period is tied to regional rules and applies only in Japan. The restriction is also described as specific to the PS5 version, because Xbox digital codes are not region-locked in the same way and are not covered by the same regional limitations. No other region was reported to have a comparable post-launch expiry period for GTA 6 download codes.

The report adds to an ongoing debate among players about GTA 6’s physical release plans. VGC said some fans who were already unhappy that the game is not receiving a traditional disc release viewed the Japanese code expiry as another argument for physical media. The outlet also reported that rumors of a disc edition arriving after launch had been contradicted by a Rockstar support email, which indicated the code-in-a-box product would be the only physical retail format for the foreseeable future.

Despite that controversy, VGC said demand for the title remains high, citing reports that GTA 6 has had a record-setting pre-order campaign and is projected to sell 37 million to 51 million copies in its first week.