Rockstar addresses leaked Grand Theft Auto VI footage
Developing story first seen 3 hours ago
Rockstar Games has issued its first public statement on the days-long leak of Grand Theft Auto VI footage, calling the episode "heartbreaking" for its team — but shortly after the statement was posted, the leaker released a further clip, showing lead character Jason stealing a vehicle and evading police, with co-lead Lucia briefly appearing in what looks like a cutscene. The renewed leak underscores how little control Rockstar has regained over the situation, even as it tries to reassure fans ahead of its own official reveal.
The leaks stem from an apparently playable build of the game and have been circulated by a person or group calling themselves "CyberLeek," who has reportedly used the footage in part to promote a cryptocurrency. Publisher Take-Two Interactive is seeking to subpoena Microsoft and Discord to help identify the source. Rockstar apologised for delays in sharing official details and thanked fans for their support, confirming an "extended look" at the game will stream exclusively on Netflix at 3pm ET on Thursday, six hours ahead of a YouTube release, with Grand Theft Auto VI still slated to launch on 19 November.
- Leaker posted a new clip just after Rockstar's statement
- Rockstar calls the leaks "heartbreaking"; extended look streams Thursday on Netflix
- Take-Two seeking to subpoena Microsoft and Discord to trace the leaker
New here? Start with this
Rockstar Games is developing Grand Theft Auto VI, the long-awaited follow-up in its hugely popular open-world crime series, published by Take-Two Interactive. In the days before Rockstar's own promotional plans, someone using the name "CyberLeek" began releasing footage apparently taken from an unfinished, playable version of the game, showing scenes and characters the studio had not yet revealed itself.
The leaks matter because Rockstar and Take-Two have invested heavily in controlling how and when the game is shown to the public, building anticipation for a title with a huge fanbase. The unauthorised clips undercut that plan, and the situation is complicated by claims the leaker has also used the footage to promote a cryptocurrency, raising questions about motive beyond simply spreading the material.
Grand Theft Auto VI is currently expected to launch on 19 November, with Rockstar due to give fans an official "extended look" at the game via a Netflix stream ahead of a wider release on YouTube.
Full account
Rockstar Games has broken its silence over more than a week of leaked footage from Grand Theft Auto VI, describing the episode as heartbreaking for the studio in its first public statement on the matter. Posted to social media on Wednesday morning, the message acknowledged that fans had been eagerly awaiting a response and apologised both for the leaks themselves and for the broader delay in sharing official details about the game, while promising that a fuller, sanctioned look was imminent.
The leaked clips, drawn from what appears to be a playable build of the game, have circulated repeatedly despite efforts to remove them, with copyright takedown requests used to strip copies from social platforms. A figure or group going by the name CyberLeek has claimed responsibility, and several of the uploads have doubled as promotion for a cryptocurrency, prompting scepticism about the motives behind the leak. In response, Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar's parent company, has pursued legal action in a New York court and sought permission to subpoena Microsoft and Discord in an attempt to trace those responsible.
Despite the studio's statement, fresh material continued to surface, including footage of playable character Jason stealing a customised van and fleeing police in a manner typical of the series, with a brief glimpse of co-lead Lucia in what looked like a story cutscene. Rockstar is nonetheless pressing ahead with its own showcase, an 'extended look' at the game due to stream first on Netflix before later reaching YouTube. The game, which follows Lucia and Jason through the fictional, Florida-inspired state of Leonida, remains on course for release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox consoles on 19 November.
Coverage of the story diverges in emphasis: reporting focused on the leak itself highlighted the specific content surfacing even after Rockstar's statement, whereas broader coverage placed more weight on the wider commercial and legal backdrop, noting the scale of prior trailer views, GTA 5's record-breaking sales history, and an unrelated employment tribunal in Scotland where Take-Two is contesting claims that former staff were dismissed for attempting to unionise. Accounts also differ slightly on the leakers' stated motive, with claims that they oppose the absence of a disc release sitting uneasily alongside the cryptocurrency solicitations attached to the leaked clips.
Where outlets differ
One account details a specific new leaked clip (Jason's carjacking and police chase, plus a Lucia cutscene) that surfaced shortly after Rockstar's statement; the other does not mention this footage.
The BBC report adds context largely absent from the other source: GTA 5's sales record (200 million-plus copies), trailer view counts (~500 million combined), and Take-Two's unrelated employment tribunal in Scotland over alleged unfair dismissal of unionising staff.
The BBC frames the leakers as claiming to act in players' interests (citing opposition to the lack of a disc release), while also noting scepticism due to cryptocurrency donation requests; the other source focuses mainly on the crypto-promotion angle and the 'CyberLeek' name without detailing a stated ideological motive.
Only one source specifies the legal mechanics in detail (Take-Two seeking to subpoena Microsoft and Discord), while the other centres on the New York court filing more generally.
More coverage
Art Celebrity Culture Entertainment Gaming
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by The Verge as “Rockstar finally responds to ‘heartbreaking’ GTA 6 leaks”.