The short version
- A review embargo is a date and time before which critics agree not to publish their review.
- Publishers send early copies to reviewers, and the embargo makes sure every review goes live at the same moment.
- Reviews landing days before launch usually signal confidence. Reviews landing on or after launch day can be a warning sign.
- Insider Gaming reports that GTA 6 reviews will arrive before its November 19 launch. Rockstar hasn't announced a date.
How an embargo works
Reviewing a big game takes time. A 60-hour open-world game can't be finished in a weekend. So publishers send review copies a week or more ahead, often with a short agreement attached.
That agreement sets the embargo: the exact date and time reviews can go live. Break it, and an outlet may not get early copies next time. Some publishers also set separate, earlier embargoes for previews or for showing the first few hours.
Why publishers use them
Embargoes stop a race to publish first, which would push critics to rush. Everyone gets the same amount of time, and readers get a wave of reviews at once instead of a trickle.
They also give publishers control over timing. A good set of scores just before launch can lift pre-orders.
When the timing is a clue
Reviews that land a few days early suggest a publisher is happy for people to read them before buying. Reviews held until launch day, or later, take that choice away from early buyers.
The review copies matter too. With Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020, CD Projekt Red sent early copies for PC only. Many of the console versions' problems weren't widely known until after people had bought them.
On paper, GTA 6 reviews arriving early is a good sign. But a review only covers the version the critic played, so check which platform each one is based on.
Our GTA 6 launch trailer post has the latest on the November 19 release.
What to watch: the official GTA 6 review embargo date, and which platforms the review copies cover.
