Rockstar hasn’t put out a Grand Theft Auto game in almost ten years, and given the situation of GTA 6, it probably won’t be for some time. According to the hacker, who is 18 years old, he gained access to Rockstar’s systems and copied a large number of game files, test builds, and assets. Some have already been made public, and the hacker claims more may follow soon. As one might anticipate, Rockstar and its parent company Take-Two are not amused.
Over the weekend, the hacker shared a 3GB ZIP package containing 90 videos of early GTA 6 gameplay, which set off the data leak. Someone had the confidence to download it and verify that it wasn’t just a malware campaign and that it genuinely included Rockstar data. The leaks display numerous Vice City locations, a range of weapons, brief glimpses of a few missions, and the first female protagonist of the series.
Early on, there was some natural doubt due to the videos’ low quality, but Rockstar has subsequently confirmed the leak. You can find all the glimmerings you could desire by conducting a simple search on Twitter or YouTube, but be forewarned—this is not a next-gen feast for the eyes. These are unpolished in-progress videos with missing animations, placeholder elements, and unfinished texturing. Wherever it is found, Take-Two has been actively attempting to delete the content by filing DMCA takedown petitions. However, nothing can be completely taken off the internet.
The link was taken down by the GTAForums moderators where the leak first appeared. One “teapotuberhacker,” the accused hacker, asserts to be the same person who recently gained access to Uber’s servers. They also assert that they have access to further Rockstar data, including the game’s source code still under production. If Rockstar’s lawyers aren’t already on the prowl, releasing that would certainly make them so. The United Arab Emirates flag appears on the poster’s GTAForums profile, which could complicate any legal reprisal if true.
According to Rockstar’s statement regarding the breach, this won’t have an impact on its long-term development objectives. The developers also express dissatisfaction that the information was released to the public in this manner, promising to properly launch the game when it is prepared. However, a leak of this size will unavoidably result in chaos within the organization. There might be adjustments to the work-from-home policies, new security procedures, interminable meetings, and other adjustments that might slow down the team. Rockstar has the luxury of selecting a timeframe that corresponds with this new reality without facing criticism for a delay because it hasn’t made any formal announcements. Call it the bright side.
