Yesterday saw perhaps the biggest leaks we’ve seen in the history of the games industry. The world’s first look at the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI was shown in a way no publisher would want. A series of leaks, containing 90 videos of pre-alpha GTA VI gameplay, appeared online. Their legitimacy was confirmed by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier.
The leaks were thought to have been discovered through Rockstar Games’ Slack channel. Slack is a communication platform used by businesses for internal communication. Being such a large company, it’s likely that Rockstar employs many remote developers who rely on Slack to share information — such as in-progress development footage.
Alongside the leak of GTA VI gameplay, it’s been reported that the hacker also claims to have access to the game’s source code. If this is true, then it’s bad news for multiple reasons. For one, Rockstar may have a ransom situation on its hands if the hacker asks for money to keep the source code off the internet. As for gamers, leaks like this often lead to hefty delays.
A compromised source code is a nightmare for developers. A leaked source code makes piracy much more likely, which directly cuts into potential profits.
Not that there was much doubt, but I’ve confirmed with Rockstar sources that this weekend’s massive Grand Theft Auto VI leak is indeed real. The footage is early and unfinished, of course. This is one of the biggest leaks in video game history and a nightmare for Rockstar Games
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) September 18, 2022
Rockstar responds to GTA VI leak
Unsurprisingly, Rockstar doesn’t want these leaks being seen. The Grand Theft Auto publisher has striking down a variety of content that includes footage of the leaks. You can also expect Rockstar to get lawyers involved to figure out who is responsible for the GTA VI leak.
Rockstar has released a response following the leak. The company writes that it feels “extremely disappointed to have any details of our next game share with you all in this way.” Rockstar will continue development as planned without delays, with updates coming soon. The team will “properly introduce you to this next game when it is ready.”
A Message from Rockstar Games pic.twitter.com/T4Wztu8RW8
— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 19, 2022
