U.S. Court Greenlights Investigation
On Friday, August 21, 2026, two federal judges in New York approved requests filed by Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, to compel Microsoft and Discord to provide information that could help identify those responsible for the leaks of the highly anticipated video game Grand Theft Auto VI.
According to court documents reviewed by the AFP news agency, the orders were filed the day before, and both companies have until September 4 to respond. Take-Two is seeking information about three suspicious accounts and members of three online forums where the material was shared.
Why Microsoft and Discord?
Microsoft owns GitHub, a platform for developers where the leaked content was compiled, as well as OneDrive, a cloud storage service that may have been used to store the files. Discord, on the other hand, is a messaging platform widely used by gamers where the videos and images were circulated.
The company claims the published videos reproduce material over which it holds copyright, something it had never publicly confirmed until now. This legal move implies that the leaks are considered authentic by the company.
The Massive Hack and Its Claims
The leaks began on Tuesday, August 18 and were claimed by a user under the pseudonym Cyberleek. The author or authors say they are acting to denounce the industry's commercial practices, particularly that Rockstar is selling a more expensive version with additional content and that the title will be offered only as a digital download, with no physical format.
The leaked clips show the character Jason, one of the protagonists, and reveal details of the map and gameplay mechanics. Despite copyright claims, several posts remain online.
Impact on Campaign and Market
The incident affects Rockstar's ambitious communications plan, which began nearly three years ago with the first teaser. The promotional campaign will continue with an official presentation on Netflix on August 27, ahead of the global release of the game on November 19, 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with a base price of 80 dollars and a special edition at 100 dollars.
The leaks have already had economic consequences: Take-Two's valuation fell, representing losses of millions of dollars. Additionally, the organization Stop Killing Games warned that Cyberleek might be running a scam by promoting a memecoin and a paid survey.
Context: GTA 6, the Most Anticipated Game
The sixth installment of the saga follows a duo of criminals in a world inspired by Florida. Fans have been waiting for its release for over 13 years, since GTA V became the second best-selling game in history. Development began between 2016 and 2018.
Neither Rockstar nor Take-Two has officially commented on the leaks, which continued on Friday with a new video showing the theft of a sports car. The countdown to the Netflix presentation is on.