GTA 6’s Code Stayed Hidden in 2 PS5 Flashlight Tests

GamesRadar found camouflage beneath the codes on US and UK copies, while some PEGI-rated boxes appeared to use a plain black strip.

Bojan Kicevski2 minutes ago

0 3 1 minute read

A woman wearing glasses and a bandana over her face stands in a store, with a masked man behind her.

As boxed copies began reaching early buyers ahead of GTA 6’s November 19, 2026 launch, GamesRadar tested a US PS5 copy and a UK copy with a flashlight. In both cases, a camouflage strip beneath the code kept it unreadable through the case.

Unlike a paper slip, the download code is printed on the inside of the back-cover artwork. A Reddit post raised the question of whether a flashlight could reveal it through a sealed box.

So the code is visible from outside the box. How are they gonna fix this? People are gonna get the code for free and return the box without even opening it
byu/AnimalDesatado inGTA6unmoderated

An August PS5 unboxing showed a code and poster inside the case, alongside an empty disc holder. In that edition, the code delivers the game rather than serving as a backup for a disc.

Packaging may vary by region. GamesRadar found some PEGI-rated copies in unboxing videos with a plain black strip instead of camouflage, though it found no US examples without the pattern. That difference could leave some codes more exposed. Online discussion remains divided over whether the flashlight method works through a sealed case, with some people saying they reproduced it and others arguing the poster blocks the light.

Reports of people receiving sealed "physical" copies of GTA VI with already redeemed codes, people stealing copies of GTA VI with just a flashlight
byu/FernandoRocker invideogames

The same Reddit discussion also includes reports of sealed copies arriving with already-redeemed codes. It does not establish that the flashlight method caused those cases. A code that might be visible through a vulnerable package is not, on its own, proof that someone can steal it from a store. Access to the package and a way to get a refund would still matter, and many retailers keep games behind locked glass.

Would a plain black strip on a PEGI-rated box change how comfortable you’d feel buying it in a store? Follow the game’s unusual code-in-box release through X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.

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