The gaming industry's normalisation of leaks has diminished the surprise and anticipation that historically made announcements exciting, according to this industry critique. Leaked content typically showcases incomplete development builds—such as GTA 6 test footage from 2023—which players misinterpret as finished products and judge accordingly, whilst simultaneous leaks of marketing campaigns (exemplified by Larian's Divinity ARG statues) spoil orchestrated revelations before they officially launch.

Gaming journalists acknowledge being caught between editorial pressure to report newsworthy leaks and their belief that coverage amplifies harm to the industry's creative experience. The author argues that Rockstar's intensifying legal pursuit of leakers represents a positive development, and calls for the gaming press to cease leak coverage entirely, with the goal of restoring genuine speculation and community-wide surprise at official reveals.