Rockstar suffers major GTA 6 leak — here's what we know

(Image credit: Rockstar Games)

Update: GTA 6 release window may have just been leaked.

Grand Theft Auto VI may be one of the most anticipated games in development right now, but nobody needed more GTA 6 news this badly.

First reported by our sister-site PC Gamer, a leaker named “teapotuberhacker” posted a mass of videos on GTAForums. Rockstar has confirmed that the 90 videos come from a test build of GTA 6. Due to the secrecy surrounding the game and the substantial nature of the files, this could represent the most significant leak in video game history. The videos are running with GTA 5 and GTA 6 source code and assets, which are any developer's most closely guarded secrets.

The videos from “teapotuberhacker” have already disappeared from many sites, but not before they made the rounds across social media. The leaker also claims to be responsible for a recent major Uber data breach, where they infiltrated Uber’s Slack channels to gain access to the company's internal systems. It appears that the hacker illegally obtained the GTA 6 footage through similar means.

GTA 6 leak: Is it legit?

GTA 6 job listing — (Image credit: Rockstar Games)

Since this GTA 6 leak occurred, many fans have wondered if the leaked footage is legitimate. Without getting into specifics — no spoilers in this article — the leaked footage shows scenes and dialogue that do seem to fit with the general vibe of past GTA games.

Not that there was much doubt, but I’ve confirmed with Rockstar sources that this weekend’s massive Grand Theft Auto VI leak is indeed real. The footage is early and unfinished, of course. This is one of the biggest leaks in video game history and a nightmare for Rockstar GamesSeptember 18, 2022

Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier confirmed via Twitter that the leaked footage is early, unfinished GTA 6 footage. Rockstar has also confirmed via a statement on Twitter that it did in fact suffer a major data breach, and that the footage is legitimate.

While we are hyped for the next GTA — especially after GTA 5 was a smash success — this leak potentially undermines years of work by Rockstar employees, whose digital security may now be compromised. Hopefully, we can move past this ugly incident and get some more ethically sourced GTA 6 rumors to pique our excitement in the near future.

Malcolm McMillan is a senior writer for Tom's Guide, covering all the latest in streaming TV shows and movies. That means news, analysis, recommendations, reviews and more for just about anything you can watch, including sports! If it can be seen on a screen, he can write about it. Previously, Malcolm had been a staff writer for Tom's Guide for over a year, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI), A/V tech and VR headsets.

Before writing for Tom's Guide, Malcolm worked as a fantasy football analyst writing for several sites and also had a brief stint working for Microsoft selling laptops, Xbox products and even the ill-fated Windows phone. He is passionate about video games and sports, though both cause him to yell at the TV frequently. He proudly sports many tattoos, including an Arsenal tattoo, in honor of the team that causes him to yell at the TV the most.