The hype for Grand Theft Auto VI has over the years continued to increase. However, now it seems to have hit a bump, unexpectedly. Just a few months before the game’s planned release, a review with a 73% rating mysteriously appeared on one of the popular gaming websites HowLongToBeat. Within the gaming community, this bizarre development is now fueling concerns. With all the years of over-excitement and fear of delays, it has probably already set the stage for disappointment. The worst is that some believe it is, regardless of the actual quality of the game “GTA 6.”
Now, what does this all mean? Is Rockstar in trouble? Or is it just some hoax or a prank?
GTA 6 review: What did it suggest and how did the gaming community react to it?
One of the community-sourced websites, HowLongToBeat.com, listed a solitary, and single playthrough for GTA VI recently. As per the entry, the unknown player already finished the game, and GTA 6 has been awarded a rating of 73%. In the vacuum, this score just above a passing grade might look respectable. However, for the title that was so feverishly anticipated, this reaction was skeptical and instant.
On social media platform X, the response coming from the gaming community highlights an undercurrent of anxiety. One of the GTA 6 fans has bluntly stated that the game is “already doomed cause of it being overhyped for years.”
This sentiment got echoed by another X user who advised all that, “Everyone needs to lower their expectations so that they ain’t disappointed if it’s just alright.”
All these reactions cut to the modern gaming’s core dilemma—when expectations get inflated to some impossible heights, even some solid products feel like they are a huge letdown. A 73% rating, whether fabricated or real, has immediately become a Rorschach test for the public sentiment, viewed by a few as a worrying omen.
Is the GTA 6 review authentic, or is it just a hoax?
The main question now is whether the circulating rating and review are legitimate? Did a player genuinely get a chance to play GTA 6 early? Or is this all just some elaborate hoax? Well, with what the world knows, Rockstar Games has since always remained notoriously secretive about all their games. They use some extreme measures to guard themselves against all leaks. So, the idea of development, building or having a preview copy being played for free and then logging their time on the public platform seems to be far-fetched. Also, the security protocols of the studio making such an accidental leak are also highly improbable.
It leads to a plausible theory that this entry is fake. Some websites, like HowLongToBeat, rely upon user submissions. While they do have verification methods, they are not immune to false reports. It will be quite simple for any user to manually add the game and then input some false completion data. Also, the timing of this review, as the entire gaming community holds its breath for the late 2026 release, just makes it a perfect opportunity for any prankster to stir the pot and to watch the community react. Either way, the game is not once again delayed. It is still on track for it planned launch on November 19, 2026.
