Take‑Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, has taken legal action against several online platforms after a wave of unauthorized Grand Theft Auto VI footage surfaced online. The company filed subpoenas in the Southern District Court of New York, seeking identifying information for accounts that posted leaked video, artwork, and other game assets.
Legal filings cite copyright violations
The subpoenas, issued under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, request data from Microsoft, Discord, X and Google. Take‑Two alleges that the leaked material includes “audiovisual content, artwork, images, dialogue, or other creative elements” that belong to the company.
Who is behind the leaks?
Court documents link the online persona “Cyberleek” to the leaks. The group claims the releases are a protest against what they describe as “unfinished games” and “pay‑walled content,” demanding a physical disc of the game, removal of pay‑walled solo content, and full offline access. Cyberleek also asked for cryptocurrency donations in exchange for a playable build.
Impact on the upcoming release
Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled for release on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, with a standard edition priced at $79.99 and an ultimate edition at $99.99. While Take‑Two’s stock has fallen since the leaks began, analysts remain optimistic that the game will still achieve record sales.
“This game is gonna crush every record ever,” analyst Michael Pachter said. “It could sell 10 million units in the first minute and 20 million in the first day and a half.”
Industry context
Unauthorized leaks are less common in gaming than in music or film, but they have occurred. A notable example was the 2023 breach of Insomniac Games’ data for the upcoming “Marvel Wolverine” title. Experts say that unless a full playable build is widely distributed, the effect on sales may be limited.
Take‑Two and Rockstar have not responded to requests for comment beyond the court filings.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
