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Rockstar Games confirmed on September 19, 2022, that unauthorized access to its network led to the theft and public release of early development footage from the next Grand Theft Auto game. The company called the event a “network intrusion.” That confirms the leaked videos were genuine, but not every claim made by the alleged attacker—especially claims about complete source-code theft.
What happened?
On September 18, 2022, videos showing an unfinished build of what was widely identified as Grand Theft Auto VI began circulating online, first through GTAForums and then across social media and video platforms. Contemporary reports counted roughly 90 clips totaling about 50 minutes, although totals varied depending on whether posts, clips, or distinct videos were being counted.
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Grand Theft Auto VI - PlayStation 5 (Code in Box, Delivers 11/12/26, Playable 11/19/26) | $79.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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IRIPLEZO Grand Theft Auto V | $24.34 | Buy on Amazon |
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Carmen Sandiego 40th Anniversary Edition PS5 | $33.89 | Buy on Amazon |
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Far Cry 6 PlayStation 5 Gold Steelbook Edition | $69.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The following day, Rockstar said an unauthorized third party had accessed and downloaded confidential information from its systems, including early development footage of the next Grand Theft Auto. TechCrunch reported Rockstar’s statement, while Ars Technica provided technical and chronological context.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThis was primarily an internal security and intellectual-property incident, not a consumer-facing outage. Rockstar said its live services were not expected to be disrupted.
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- This product contains a download code inside the box — no disc is included. Customer shipments will begin arriving November 12 for pre-load; game is playable starting November 19. Code can only be used by users holding an account for PlayStation registered to the US or Canada.
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Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| September 18, 2022 | Early-build videos appear online and are rapidly redistributed. |
| September 19, 2022 | Rockstar publicly confirms a network intrusion and unauthorized download of confidential material, including development footage. |
| After the confirmation | Rockstar and parent company Take-Two pursue copyright complaints and takedowns against copies and mirrors. |
Axios documented the initial circulation, and The Record covered the broader cyberattack and enforcement response.
What the leaked footage appeared to show
Reports described an early, playable development build featuring:
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- a Vice City-like setting;
- a male and a female playable character;
- a criminal partnership compared with a Bonnie-and-Clyde dynamic; and
- placeholder assets, unfinished textures, debug text and developer tools.
These observations are evidence from a pre-release build, not a final feature list. Development footage routinely contains temporary art, test animations, diagnostic overlays and systems that may later be changed or removed. The videos established that the project was real and sufficiently developed to produce playable test material; they did not prove the final map, story, missions, release plan or every rumored feature.
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What Rockstar confirmed—and what it did not
Rockstar confirmed:
- a recent network intrusion;
- unauthorized access to and downloading of confidential information;
- the inclusion of early footage from the next Grand Theft Auto; and
- that it did not anticipate disruption to live services or a long-term effect on ongoing projects.
Its September 19 statement did not identify the attacker, explain the attack method, list every compromised system, confirm a ransom payment, announce a release delay, or verify that complete GTA V or GTA VI source code had been stolen. SecurityWeek’s account preserves that distinction.
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What was alleged but not confirmed?
The alleged attacker claimed to possess GTA V and GTA VI source code, development builds and other internal files, and reportedly attempted to negotiate over additional material. Those claims received substantial attention, but they were not confirmed by Rockstar’s statement.
Source-code theft would be materially more serious than the disclosure of gameplay footage because it could expose proprietary technology, enable exploits and create long-term security and competitive risks. Nevertheless, the public confirmation cited here establishes unauthorized access and leaked footage—not the complete scope of any source-code acquisition. Game Developer’s coverage also treated the source-code claims with caution.
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Did the breach delay GTA 6?
Rockstar said it did not anticipate a long-term effect on development and that work would continue. That was the company’s immediate expectation, not an independently audited guarantee that the incident caused no internal cost or disruption.
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Why the incident mattered
The leak was unusually consequential because it involved one of the most anticipated unreleased games and exposed real gameplay rather than isolated screenshots. It also revealed the messy, iterative development process behind a major production before Rockstar had begun its formal marketing campaign.
The incident created several risks:
- Intellectual property: unauthorized copies could be removed through copyright complaints.
- Spoilers: story, character and world details circulated outside Rockstar’s control.
- Security: alleged access to internal tools or code could create further technical risk.
- Employee impact: developers’ work and internal material were exposed without consent.
- Scams and malware: fake “full build” downloads and leak links could be used for phishing or malicious software.
What remains unknown
- the exact intrusion method or credentials used;
- the complete list of systems and files accessed;
- whether the attacker obtained all or only some claimed source code;
- the identity and full legal status of the alleged attacker; and
- the incident’s total internal cost or any schedule effect beyond Rockstar’s stated expectation.
Readers should avoid downloading alleged builds, source-code archives or “uncensored” mirrors. Such files are unauthorized, may infringe copyright and can be vehicles for malware or credential theft.
Bottom line
Rockstar confirmed the core story: a network intrusion enabled unauthorized access to confidential information and the release of genuine early GTA 6 development footage. The footage was unfinished, and Rockstar said it did not expect a long-term effect on development. Claims about complete source-code theft, the exact attack technique and a breach-caused delay remained unconfirmed in the contemporary public record.
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