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In September 2022, an 18-year-old intruder accessed Rockstar Games’ systems, stole unreleased GTA VI footage and threatened to publish source code unless the company contacted him on Telegram. A jury later found that he had committed the alleged acts, but it did not return a conventional guilty-or-not-guilty verdict. As of October 4, 2026, the latest reported update said he was awaiting a retrial scheduled for November 2026.
What happened in the 2022 Rockstar hack?
In September 2022, unreleased footage from Grand Theft Auto VI appeared online after an unauthorized party accessed Rockstar Games’ systems and downloaded confidential information. Rockstar described the incident as a network intrusion. The Guardian reported that the attacker, Arion Kurtaj, stole 90 clips of the game.
According to The Guardian’s account of what the court heard, Kurtaj was on bail for other hacking matters and staying at a Travelodge under police protection. His laptop had been confiscated. The newspaper reported that he used an Amazon Firestick, the hotel television and a mobile phone to carry out the attack. Those details are the newspaper’s account of the court evidence, not an independent technical reconstruction.
Did the GTA 6 hacker threaten to leak the source code?
Yes. The Guardian reported that Kurtaj posted a message to Rockstar employees through the company’s internal Slack, demanding contact on Telegram within 24 hours. The message said: “If Rockstar does not contact me on Telegram within 24 hours I will start releasing the source code.”
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The threat is established; it does not mean that a full release of GTA VI source code occurred. The incident brought development footage into public view, but the sources cited here do not establish that the threatened source-code publication happened.
What did the jury decide—and why was the trial unusual?
The Associated Press reported that a jury found Kurtaj had committed 12 offenses, including hacking, blackmail and fraud. Psychiatrists had assessed him as unfit to stand trial, so jurors were asked to determine whether he had committed the alleged acts—not to return the usual guilty-or-not-guilty verdict. Calling this a conventional conviction would obscure that distinction.
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A 17-year-old co-defendant was separately convicted of offenses, according to AP. The co-defendant was a different defendant from Kurtaj.
What happened to Kurtaj after the case?
In December 2023, The Guardian reported that Kurtaj received an indefinite hospital order. Under that order, he would remain in a secure hospital unless doctors considered him no longer a danger.
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PC Gamer reported on July 16, 2026, citing BBC correspondent Joe Tidy, that Kurtaj had reportedly left the secure hospital and was in prison awaiting a retrial scheduled for November 2026. Tidy said police had not confirmed the report to him, and reporting restrictions had been lifted. As of October 4, 2026, that hearing was still in the future; no retrial outcome is established here.
How did Rockstar respond, and what was the reported cost?
In a September 19, 2022 statement reproduced by Axios, Rockstar said: “At this time, we do not anticipate any disruption to our live game services nor any long-term effect on the development of our ongoing projects.” The company also said work on the next Grand Theft Auto game would continue as planned. These were Rockstar’s expectations immediately after the leak, not a later independent assessment of its impact.
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The Guardian reported that Rockstar told the court the hack cost $5 million to recover from, in addition to thousands of staff hours. That is a company-reported figure from the 2023 court hearing, not an independently audited estimate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is established about ransom payment?
AP reported that it was unclear whether any affected company paid a ransom. The reporting cited here does not establish that Rockstar paid one.
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Why the case drew attention beyond gaming
The Rockstar intrusion formed part of a broader Lapsus$ cybercrime case involving other companies. DCS Amanda Horsburgh, a detective chief superintendent with City of London Police, said: “This case serves as an example of the dangers that young people can be drawn towards whilst online and the serious consequences it can have for someone’s broader future.”
The figures tied to this case describe this incident and its court proceedings; they should not be treated as typical breach costs or a general measure of youth cybercrime.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Associated Press, August 23, 2023 — jury findings, trial procedure and uncertainty over ransom payment.
- The Guardian, December 21, 2023 — threat wording, court-reported circumstances and cost, sentence, and police statement.
- Axios, September 19, 2022 — Rockstar’s contemporaneous public response.
- PC Gamer, July 16, 2026 — attributed report on Kurtaj’s reported status and scheduled retrial.
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