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Although many players still choose boxed editions of games, their contents increasingly differ from what the market has been used to for years. A good example is Grand Theft Auto VI, whose physical edition does not include a game disc. Instead, buyers receive only a code to download the title. Rockstar has now revealed an additional restriction affecting one of the game's versions. In Japan, the download code for GTA 6 on PlayStation 5 will have a limited validity period. For some collectors and people who buy the game later, this could be a significant problem.
Japanese retail release of GTA 6 on PS5 will come with a time-limited code
Rockstar confirmed on its website that GTA 6 download codes included with boxed PlayStation 5 editions in Japan will expire 170 days after the game's release. That means players will be able to activate the code only until around 8 May 2027. After that date an unactivated code will become invalid. In practice, this means a sealed box bought many months after release may no longer provide access to the game. The publisher emphasises the restriction is due to regulations in Japan. According to industry reports, it concerns rules covering prepaid digital instruments. Codes valid for more than six months are subject to additional legal requirements there. Setting the validity period to 170 days avoids those restrictions. Rockstar also recommends buying the game in the same region where the PlayStation account used to activate the code is registered. The restriction applies only to the Japanese version of the game on PS5. So far no similar rules have been announced for other countries. Xbox console users are not affected either.
Physical releases are increasingly just a box with a code
The news has once again reignited debate about the significance of physical game releases. In the case of GTA 6 the box does not contain a disc with the game, but only a code to download the digital version. Players will be able to start downloading from 12 November, a week before the release scheduled for 19 November 2026. For most people buying the game on launch day, the code's expiry date will probably not matter much. It's different for collectors, people buying the game as a gift, or customers picking up a copy many months after release. In their case, an expired code could mean buying a product that can't be activated anymore. It's another example of the industry gradually moving away from traditional physical media. Increasingly the box only serves as packaging for a digital licence. For some players this means a diminished sense of actually owning the game they purchased. At the same time, publishers gain greater control over how their titles are distributed. This trend could extend to other big-budget releases in the future.
Rockstar has confirmed that the Japanese boxed release of GTA 6 for PlayStation 5 will include a code valid for 170 days from launch. Although the restriction applies only to Japan, it again highlights how much modern physical game releases differ from those of a few years ago.
source: digitaltrends
