Fans have waited 13 years for this video game. It may already be spoiled

Fans of the mega popular video game franchise Grand Theft Auto have been waiting 13 years for a major new release. Anticipation is so high that Grand Theft Auto VI’s official trailer landed exclusively on Netflix for six hours last week, before it was released on YouTube. It drew more than 31.1 Netflix million views over three days, making it the streamer’s most-viewed title that week.

But the end of this long wait is now in sight, with the new game scheduled to drop in November. However, regardless of how close it is, it appears some fans’ patience has already worn thin.

Last month, footage and images from what appears to be an internal build of the highly anticipated game were leaked across the internet, spoiling parts of a project more than a decade in the making.

The leaks, which have continued to appear online since mid-August, became such an issue that GTA’s studio Rockstar Games issued an official statement shortly before the release of its extended trailer, and the game’s publisher filed subpoenas in an attempt to locate the source.

So, why is this such a big deal?

What has been leaked?

On August 18, a short clip of one of the game’s protagonists, Jason Duval, shooting a basketball was leaked online. Though only brief and lacking any major detail, bar a few user interface prompts and a new “increased focus” mechanic, it set off a wave of leaks that continued for over a week, culminating in about 17 minutes of spoiled footage.

The leaks seemingly confirmed the game’s lead as the first-ever playable female protagonist in a 3D setting. They also revealed details about the game’s world-map, which is set in a fictional Florida-like state called Leonida. Additionally, they uncovered other basic scenes, such as refuelling cars at petrol stations and visiting strip clubs, as well as new features around non-playable characters (NPCs).

A user (or users) under the name “CyberLeek” claimed to be behind the breach, which was used in part to promote a form of cryptocurrency. CyberLeek shared a list of “commandments” alongside the first leak, one of which accused Rockstar of anti-consumer practices, and demanded the studio stop selling digital pre-orders of the game. Notably, physical discs of GTA VI will not be released at launch. They also demanded full offline access and the elimination of paywalled solo player content.

”Publishers sell licences and call them purchases. They ship unfinished games and call them living services,” CyberLeek wrote on its website. “They lock content on discs and call it DLC. They kill games and keep the money. Every year anti-consumerism tightens its grip, and every year gamers get less for what they pay.”

Rockstar finally addressed the spoilers the day before GTA VI’s official 27-minute-long trailer dropped on Netflix.

“It would be an understatement to say that having videos of Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay leak in this way has been heartbreaking for our team, and this is obviously not how we intended for you to see the game after all this time,” the studio said via a statement late last week.

“While it is unfortunate that the intended game experience may now be impacted by some spoilers, we hope that everyone will wait a bit longer to experience the game for themselves on November 19.”

Shortly before that, the game’s publisher – Take-Two Interactive – filed multiple subpoenas requesting that Microsoft, Discord, X and Google provide information to help track down CyberLeek’s identity. According to the gaming publication Gamespot, one of the subpoenas, filed with the Southern District Court of New York on August 20, showed the publisher was issuing takedown notices to “obtain the identity of an alleged infringer or infringers”. Notably, Discord claims it has not been formally served a subpoena as yet.

Has GTA been targeted before?

GTA VI was targeted by hackers in September 2022, when user “teapotuberhacker” leaked over 90 videos and images from the game’s early development. At the time, Rockstar described it as one of the largest security breaches in gaming history.

According to the BBC, the hacker claimed to have accessed the data by breaching Rockstar’s internal feed on the Slack messaging app, and invited executives to negotiate to avoid further leaks. Rockstar issued takedown notices to remove the leaked footage from social media, where it had spread like wildfire shortly after the initial leak.

Besides the leaks, Rockstar has also been under the microscope recently due to accusations from former employees who allege they were illegally fired for trying to form a union. The studio denies all allegations, and will appear in a Scottish employment tribunal this month to fight the matter.

What could this mean for GTA’s future?

There has so far been no suggestion that GTA VI’s launch will be delayed due to the leaks, with Rockstar reiterating its November 19 release date in its recent statement.

Following the first breach in 2022, the studio said: “Our work on the next Grand Theft Auto game will continue as planned, and we remain as committed as ever to delivering an experience to you, our players, that truly exceeds your expectations.”

Leaks are relatively common in the video game space, with major titles such as The Last of Us: Part II and Half-Life 2 also targeted ahead of their releases. For the latter, it was incredibly disruptive, triggering a major delay and the need to rework entire sections of the game. Leaks around The Last of Us: Part II, meanwhile, spoiled a significant plot-point, and also fuelled the spread of false plot descriptions.

Leaks can, therefore, damage a game’s reputation before it has even landed, and could also diminish morale within the studios where thousands of people have worked tirelessly to complete the game.

Following the first GTA VI spoiler, the publisher’s share price declined by 10 per cent over five days. However, industry analysts believe this to be a temporary blip, noting that past leaks have not significantly harmed a game’s overall sales. This is presumably because most leaks don’t offer fans playable builds to download, so once the authorised game lands, people still want to play it.

Why is GTA VI a big deal?

GTA is one of the most popular and profitable video game franchises ever. GTA V, the previous instalment released in 2013, has sold nearly 230 million copies globally, making it one of the best-selling games in history.

The sixth version has been a long time coming, with Rockstar beginning the project in 2022. Since then, it has been delayed twice, thus generating even greater anticipation (and impatience). Over this time, industry insiders have estimated its development and marketing costs have surpassed $US1 billion ($1.4 billion). If accurate, that would make GTA VI the most expensive video game ever made.

Known for openly satirising contemporary American culture, politics and media, the game has become staggeringly influential within the video game space. Each instalment has been praised for its impeccable attention to detail, as well as its thoughtful world-building and photo-realistic graphics. And they just keep making strides, with the sixth version featuring its first playable female lead in a 3D game.

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Nell Geraets is a Culture reporter at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.AdvertisementAdvertisement