In a twist that has sent the gaming world into a frenzy just months before the biggest release in industry history, a mysterious "first review" for Grand Theft Auto VI has surfaced on the tracking site HowLongToBeat. The entry, which awards the highly anticipated title a polarizing 73% approval score, appeared earlier this week, sparking intense speculation about a potential early access leak. With the official November 19, 2026 release date confirmed by Take-Two Interactive just days ago, fans are scrambling to decipher whether this is a genuine appraisal of a pre-release build, a verified playtester breaking NDA, or an elaborate hoax.

The 73% Score That Broke the Internet

The controversy began when eagle-eyed users noticed active player stats on the HowLongToBeat GTA VI page—a section usually reserved for games that are actively being played. The data points were sparse but explosive: a single completed playthrough clocked at roughly 31 hours for the main story, accompanied by a "Good" rating of 73%.

For a game that has been touted as the "most important entertainment product of all time," a 73% score is surprisingly lukewarm. However, the accompanying user review from an account named "Gellhorn_Spirit" offered specific, technical justifications that lent an air of credibility to the post. Claiming to be playing a "November 2025 Alpha Branch" build, the reviewer praised the game's "masterpiece-level" physics but criticized the combat mechanics.

"The driving is the most 'human' it has ever felt," the review stated, referencing a return to the heavier, "boaty" physics of GTA IV. "But the gunplay is a huge hurdle... aiming feels like I am moving the gun through molasses." Such specific technical critiques regarding input lag and "tank-like" movement for the protagonist, Jason, have fueled debates that this could be a legitimate tester venting about an unpolished build.

Theories: Make-A-Wish, Rogue Dev, or Hoax?

The gaming community, specifically the r/GTA6 subreddit, has fractured into several camps trying to explain the source of this GTA VI leak 2026. Three main theories have emerged:

1. The Terminally Ill Fan Theory

One of the most compassionate (and persistent) rumors is that Rockstar Games granted early access to a terminally ill fan. This practice is not unprecedented in the industry. Proponents of this theory argue that the 73% score reflects the honest opinion of a younger player who might be struggling with the game's reported difficulty or technical bugs, rather than a critique of the final artistic vision.

2. The Disgruntled Playtester

The detailed complaints about "Hurricane Roxy" weather effects causing genuine hydroplaning on the roads of Leonida suggest a player with deep, extended access to the game's systems. The specific mention of a "floating trunk" glitch and "aggressive watermarking" aligns with the frustrations often voiced by QA testers working on late-stage builds. If this is a rogue developer or tester, the 73% score might simply reflect the current state of a game that still requires months of polish before its November launch.

3. The elaborate "Dream" Hoax

Skeptics point to another review that appeared briefly on the site, where a user described the gameplay as "just a dream I had after too much cafecito." This suggests that the HowLongToBeat page might have been briefly vulnerable to unverified submissions. However, the persistence of the "Gellhorn_Spirit" review and its alignment with other leak rumors has kept the debate alive.

Take-Two Confirms November 2026 Release

Amidst the chaos of the review leak, verifiable news has arrived from the corporate side. During the February 6 earnings call, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick officially doubled down on the release window, confirming that Grand Theft Auto VI will launch on November 19, 2026. Zelnick dismissed concerns about further delays, stating the company is "highly confident" in the date and that full-scale marketing will kick off this summer.

This official confirmation provides crucial context for the leaked score. If the game is indeed nine months away from launch, a "73% state" for a developer build is not necessarily alarming. It suggests the core content is complete, but the "mountains of polish" mentioned by the leaker are exactly what Rockstar will be focusing on between now and November.

Gameplay Impressions: What We Learned

Assuming the GTA VI gameplay impressions from the leak are active descriptions of the current build, fans can expect a significant shift in realism. The leak detailed:

  • Dynamic Weather: A "Hurricane Roxy" system that physically pushes vehicles and alters driving physics.
  • Heavier Movement: A move away from the arcade-style twitch responses of GTA V toward a weightier, more deliberate physics engine similar to Red Dead Redemption 2.
  • Leonida Map Details: Mentions of specific locations like "Ambrosia" (likely a poorer district) and "Port Gellhorn," reinforcing previous mapping leaks.

Whether the 73% score is a hoax or a harsh reality check, it has successfully done one thing: kept the world talking about GTA VI. As we await the summer marketing blitz, all eyes remain on Rockstar Games for the next official move.