After a GTAForums user leaked over 90 videos showing development footage of the upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI, Rockstar Games has confirmed that the leaks are real.
In their statement this morning, Rockstar said that an “unauthorized third party illegally accessed and downloaded confidential information from our systems” but that they don’t expect the leak to delay the project. They also expressed their disappointment that the game’s first footage was seen in this incomplete state instead of when it was ready for the public eye. They promised an official look at the project in the future.
A Message from Rockstar Games pic.twitter.com/T4Wztu8RW8
— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 19, 2022
The leaked footage is apparently several years old but seems to show the main characters of the game, conversations with an NPC, and more. Most of the videos in the initial forum post have been deleted but can likely still be found elsewhere. Perhaps most relevant is that the leaked videos seem to confirm one of the two main protagonists is a woman, which would be a first for the series since the selectable protagonists of Grand Theft Auto 2. This falls in line with previous reporting from Bloomberg, which stated that the game would be loosely styled after Bonnie and Clyde and follow a bank-robbing woman and man duo in Vice City.
These leaks are being described as some of the biggest in the history of the industry. Not only did the hacker grab numerous videos of the game, but they also claim to have source code from GTA V and GTA VI, as well as a GTA VI testing build. In a forum post the hacker stated they are “looking to negotiate a deal” with Rockstar, seemingly over what they will do with these assets going forward.
Developers have voiced their solidarity with Rockstar over the leaks. Neil Druckman, the creative director of The Last of Us Part II, expressed his sympathies over how these situations can be incredibly deflating for the creatives involved. The Last of Us Part II was subject to widespread story leaks just weeks before release.