GTA 6 fans saw leaked gameplay early — Rockstar calls it 'heartbreaking'

Rockstar Games has publicly responded to the massive leak of early Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay footage, describing the incident as "heartbreaking" for its team and apologising to fans who saw the game before its planned official reveal.

The leak and Rockstar's response

More than 90 videos and images from early development builds of GTA VI were posted online by a hacker in what major outlets have described as one of the biggest security breaches in gaming history. The leaked footage included tests of animations, level layouts, and gameplay demonstrations, and appeared to support long-running reports that the next entry will feature the series' first playable female protagonist.

In a public statement, Rockstar said: "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 also acknowledged the extended wait fans have endured, adding: "We are very sorry that everything has taken as long as it has — from getting the game finished (nearly there!) to sharing more details and official gameplay."

Confirmed network intrusion

Rockstar had previously confirmed that its systems suffered a "network intrusion" in which an unauthorized third party accessed and downloaded confidential information, including early development footage for the next Grand Theft Auto title. In its earlier 2022 statement, the company said it was "extremely disappointed" that details of the next game were shared in this way, but stressed that development would continue as planned with no anticipated long-term impact on ongoing projects or live game services.

Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar's parent company, separately confirmed the leak and stated that current Rockstar services were unaffected, adding that steps had been taken to isolate and contain the incident. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick later described the leak as "really frustrating and upsetting" but said there was no evidence that material assets were taken and that the leak would not affect development.

The original leak saw a hacker post a 3GB file containing around 90 videos of GTA VI gameplay on the GTAForums message board, including footage of robberies, gunplay, and open-world driving. Following the incident, Rockstar and Take-Two pursued DMCA takedown requests against platforms and users hosting the leaked footage and screenshots.

Ongoing leak challenges

The 2022 breach was not the end of Rockstar's leak problems. In April 2026, reports emerged of a new data breach involving Rockstar and Take-Two, with hacker groups threatening to release more GTA VI data unless paid. Rockstar confirmed that only a limited amount of non-material company information had been accessed, stating: "This incident has no impact on our organization or our players." Further GTA VI gameplay and map material reportedly leaked online again in August 2026, with more clips and a full-map image circulating before Take-Two issued additional takedown notices.

Despite the repeated breaches, Rockstar has maintained its commitment to delivering an experience that exceeds players' expectations, indicating that more official information and gameplay would be shared in due course. The studio's latest statement, published in late August 2026 and reported by Video Games Chronicle, represents Rockstar's most expansive public acknowledgement yet of the emotional toll the leaks have taken on its team.

For investors tracking Take-Two Interactive on NASDAQ, the immediate aftermath of the initial leak saw the company's share price drop around 6% in premarket trading before recovering some losses once Rockstar confirmed that development would be unaffected. GTA VI remains one of the most anticipated entertainment releases globally, with significant followings in gaming communities across Africa and beyond.