Take-Two subpoenas Microsoft and Discord over GTA 6 leaks
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
Take-Two, the publisher behind Rockstar Games, issued legal subpoenas to Microsoft and Discord as part of an effort to unmask whoever has been leaking gameplay footage from the unreleased Grand Theft Auto 6 under the alias "Cyberleek". The move underlined how seriously the company took the breach, coming just days before Rockstar was due to release an official extended look at the game, first via Netflix, and as the leaked clips continued to circulate widely and undercut its control over the game's reveal.
Both companies were given a deadline of 4th September to comply. Microsoft was asked to hand over internal investigation records that could identify the person or people behind the Cyberleek persona, while Discord was asked for identifying details of accounts linked to specific servers used to spread the leaks, including emails, IP addresses, phone numbers and linked device data. The leaked clips showed previously unseen gameplay, including driving sequences and chaos with non-player characters, and Cyberleek claimed the leaks were a protest over consumer rights and digital pre-orders, despite also using them to promote a cryptocurrency. Neither Rockstar nor Take-Two issued any official public statement, though leaked material was being removed rapidly as the companies pursued the source.
- Take-Two subpoenaed Microsoft and Discord over GTA 6 leaks
- Companies must respond by 4th September with identifying data
- Leaker "Cyberleek" cited consumer rights but also promoted crypto
New here? Start with this
Take-Two, the American games giant, owns Rockstar Games, the studio making Grand Theft Auto 6. The long-awaited sequel has not yet been released, but chunks of unreleased footage have been circulating online, posted by someone using the name "Cyberleek". Publishers normally control when and how footage of a big game is shown, so unauthorised leaks can undercut planned marketing and reveals.
Microsoft owns the Xbox platform and Discord is a popular chat app used by gaming communities to share files and clips, which is why Take-Two believes both companies may hold information, such as account or device details, that could identify who is behind the leaks. A subpoena is a legal order compelling a person or organisation to hand over evidence or testimony, often used before any court case has formally begun.
GTA games are among the best-selling entertainment products in the world, and GTA 6 is one of the most anticipated releases in the industry, so leaks and the response to them attract significant attention from players, investors and the press alike.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Take-Two and Rockstar have invested years and enormous sums into building a controlled reveal for one of the most anticipated games in the industry, and leaks that spread widely online can distort public perception, undercut marketing strategy and, in this case, appear tied to someone promoting a cryptocurrency rather than acting from purely altruistic motives. Pursuing legal subpoenas against the platforms used to distribute the material is a legitimate and proportionate way to protect intellectual property, identify wrongdoing and deter future leaks, especially given the timing so close to a major promotional moment on Netflix.
The case against
Advocates for the leaker's side would argue that using courts to unmask an anonymous online persona sets an uncomfortable precedent, particularly where the underlying material has already spread and removal is well underway, raising questions about proportionality and the chilling effect on anonymous speech and whistleblowing more broadly. They would also note that framing the leaks as protest against pre-order practices and consumer rights, however self-serving given the crypto promotion, taps into genuine frustration among players about industry practices, and that demanding sweeping identifying data from Microsoft and Discord risks sweeping up innocent users' privacy in pursuit of one target.
More coverage
Art Business Companies Culture Cybersecurity Technology
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Push Square as “Take-Two Aims to Bring the Hammer Down on GTA 6 Leaker, Requests Help from Microsoft, Discord”.