Grand Theft Auto 6 is once again at the centre of controversy after fresh footage of the highly anticipated game reportedly leaked online, sending fans and gaming journalists into a frenzy. The leaks come just weeks after developer Rockstar Games announced it would break an 18-month silence with a special extended look at the game via a Netflix special.
According to a report by BBC Newsbeat, the run-up to Rockstar’s planned reveal has been overshadowed by a string of apparent leaks showing footage of GTA 6 in action. Rockstar has not publicly acknowledged the clips or responded to requests for comment since the leaks first surfaced.
Take-Two Takes Legal Action
Rockstar’s parent company, Take-Two Interactive, has moved swiftly to respond to the situation. The company launched legal proceedings in a New York court, demanding that Microsoft-owned GitHub and chat platform Discord hand over user details of accounts believed to be sharing copyrighted material. As Kotaku first reported, copies of the leaked clips are being rapidly removed due to copyright claims, and several accounts linked to the alleged hacking group have since vanished.
Many fans have called the situation a nightmare scenario for Rockstar, but experts say the reality may be more nuanced. Obbe Vermeij, a former technical director on classic titles like GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas, praised the studio’s ability to maintain secrecy despite the scale of modern game development. It’s amazing that they can keep things under wraps as well as they do, he said, adding that keeping details secret has always been part of Rockstar’s culture to make launch day more exciting for fans.
A Decade in the Making
Video game journalist Wesley Yin-Poole, director of news at IGN, noted that GTA 6 represents an enormous undertaking, built over roughly a decade with thousands of people involved. He said the leaks would likely be devastating for many who worked on the project.
Questions Over Motives
The group allegedly behind the leaks claims to be acting in players’ interests, accusing Rockstar of anti-consumer practices, including its reported decision not to release a disc version of GTA 6 at launch. However, scepticism abounds, especially since each release of new material has come with requests for cryptocurrency “donations” from viewers.
Stop Killing Games, an organisation that campaigns against fully digital distribution models, has criticised the leaks as destructive and urged the public not to send money to those claiming responsibility. Yin-Poole echoed this scepticism, stating that most people believe the leaks are financially motivated rather than consumer-driven, dismissing the we’re doing this for the gamers narrative as unconvincing.
So far, only two official trailers for GTA 6 have been released, the most recent arriving in May 2025. In the absence of confirmed details, fans have continued to scrutinise Rockstar’s official posts for hidden clues, fuelling countless theories about the game’s release and content.
As Take-Two pursues legal action against Microsoft and Discord, all eyes remain on Rockstar to see how and when it will officially address the leaks ahead of its planned reveal.