Valid for just 170 days: GTA 6 box could bring a nasty surprise for buyers in Japan

Rockstar has already confirmed that buyers of the physical edition of Grand Theft Auto VI (available for preorder on Amazon) will find a download code instead of a disc inside the box. As we previously reported, this comes with several regional restrictions, primarily affecting PlayStation players. Gamers in Japan, however, are facing the biggest limitation. According to Rockstar's official support page, download codes in Japan expire 170 days after launch.

Rockstar cites only "regional regulations" as the reason. One possible explanation is Japan's Payment Services Act, which may require companies to provide financial guarantees for digital codes and other prepaid products that remain valid for more than six months. By limiting the validity period to 170 days, Rockstar stays just below that threshold and could potentially avoid those additional requirements. However, the company has not officially confirmed that this is the reason.

This could become particularly problematic for players who purchase GTA 6 several months after release. The countdown appears to begin on the game's launch date, not when the game is purchased or when the box is opened. If a copy sits on a retailer's shelf for an extended period, the included code may only be valid for a few days – or may have already expired.

What happens to expired codes remains unclear

It is still entirely unclear how Rockstar and retailers plan to handle the 170-day expiration period. One possibility would be to ship new batches with fresh download codes or regularly replace older inventory. Another is that the boxed edition will only be sold for a limited time and won't be reprinted once it sells out. So far, however, none of these scenarios has been confirmed.

Fans see it as another downside of abandoning physical games

As expected, the Reddit community has reacted negatively. Many players are already unhappy that Rockstar describes a box containing only a download code as a physical edition. After all, the game cannot truly be lent out or resold in the same way as a disc-based release – and because of the expiration date, even an unopened copy could become worthless within a few months. For many fans, it is yet another bitter consequence of the industry's gradual move away from physical games.