Players from Japan will only have 170 days to use their GTA 6 codes. This would not have been the case had the physical copy contained an actual disc.

GTA 6's physical copy will only include a code in the box that can be used to download the game. However, Rockstar Games cited Japan's regional restriction while informing fans that the code will expire in 170 days.

What's worse is that the countdown timer starts from the date of the game's launch. Not from the date of your purchase.

Here's what Rockstar Games' official website says about the restrictions:

"Product codes in Japan will expire 170 days after the issuance date, which is the launch date (November 19, 2026) due to regional regulations."

Therefore, in practice, digital codes obtained from physical copies will be essentially useless from 8th May, 2027 onwards. In this way, Japanese players will have to resort to buying the digital copy online after that date.

Of course, with a digital disc release, this can be avoided. Recently, an email from Rockstar Games was misunderstood by the internet, which made fans believe that discs may be released at a later date.

The Hollywood Reporter later confirmed that there are no plans to print GTA 6 discs in the near future. Therefore, the box that comes with a digital code is the only physical copy available.

The Game Business's Chris Dring told Video Games Chronicle that the move will "prevent pre-owned and second-hand sales, and reduce the likelihood of the game leaking ahead of release."

Meanwhile, Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser recently opened up about physical vs digital media and video games.

Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser on physical media ahead of GTA 6 release

Dan Houser is the co-founder of Rockstar Games and has written just about every GTA game in existence. At the San Diego Comic Con, Houser was asked about the physical vs digital debate. His long-time collaborator, Lazlow Jones, was present too.

“I don’t know that I care, but if people want that, I think companies should provide it,” Houser told IGN in an interview.

“But I don’t know that I personally care. And I also think that the ability to update games – as critical as people are of digital releases – the ability to update and fix problems in games has been really useful for the quality of games.”

GTA 6 has not been written by Dan Houser. Instead, he has started a new media company known as Absurd Ventures. The Rockstar Games co-founder was at SDCC to promote their comic-book series, American Caper.

He also announced that the company is working on two open-world games.

What do you think about GTA 6's upcoming release? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Prit Chauhan