Rockstar Games has confirmed that leaked GTA 6 gameplay videos are legitimate, calling the situation “heartbreaking for our team” while saying the long-awaited game is nearly finished. GTA 6 remains scheduled for release on November 19.
More than a dozen clips from a playable build appeared online after the leaks began on August 18, 2026. Together, the leaked footage totals around 17 minutes and has spread across social media during the past week, giving viewers an unofficial look at parts of the game before Rockstar’s planned extended presentation.
Rockstar responds after a week of leaked footage
In a statement issued on August 26, Rockstar addressed the leaks directly and acknowledged the frustration surrounding them. The company said, “We know that many of you have been waiting to hear from us regarding the events of the past week. 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 statement also said GTA 6 is nearly finished making. Rockstar has worked on the game for over a decade, with thousands of staff involved in its development, so the leaked material comes after years of anticipation and limited official information.
Rockstar has already released two official trailers for GTA 6, with the most recent arriving in May 2025. The company now plans to show an extended look at the game on Netflix on August 27, followed later by its release on YouTube.
“We are very excited for everyone to see the extended look tomorrow,” Rockstar said. The company added, “Ultimately, we are making this game for you, and without you, we would not have had the privilege of making games.”
Legal action follows the spread of the clips
Rockstar has issued takedown notices against many copies of the leaked videos. The footage includes scenes set around Vice City, gas stations, strip clubs, nudist villages, beaches, and clubs, offering glimpses of the locations players may encounter in GTA 6.
A hacker known as “CyberLeek” has been leaking clips of GTA 6 gameplay. The leaker promoted a memecoin in the clips and claimed the leaks were a protest against video game companies’ practices.
The leaker also claimed to be protesting Rockstar’s decision to release the physical edition of GTA 6 as a code in a box instead of on a disc. That claim has become part of the wider discussion around the leaked footage, even as Rockstar moves to remove copies from the internet.
Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar’s parent company, has launched legal proceedings regarding the leaks in a New York court. The company demanded that Microsoft-owned GitHub and Discord turn over user details linked to accounts sharing copyrighted material.
Discord marketing director Ryan K. Rigney said Discord had not yet been served with a subpoena as of the statement. The legal proceedings place the leak not only in the spotlight around GTA 6, but also in a dispute involving platforms where the clips were shared.
A major reveal now sits beside an unofficial one
The timing leaves Rockstar facing two competing versions of the same moment. The company wants the extended look on Netflix and YouTube to introduce GTA 6 on its own terms, but leaked footage has already shown parts of the game to viewers through social media.
That contrast matters because GTA 6 has been in development for more than a decade, and thousands of staff have worked on it. Instead of waiting only for the official presentation, viewers have spent the past week watching material taken from a playable build.
Rockstar’s statement asks audiences to focus on the planned reveal and the November 19 release date. The company has not changed that schedule in its response to the leaks, and it says the game is nearly finished.
For now, the next official look will arrive on August 27 through Netflix before reaching YouTube later. Until then, Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive are dealing with the leaked clips, takedown notices, and legal demands while the game moves toward its scheduled release.
Based on
- Rockstar calls GTA 6 leaks ‘heartbreaking for our team’ and says the game is nearly finished — engadget.com
- GTA 6 leaks: Rockstar’s nightmare or just a blip? — bbc.com
- ‘GTA 6’ Hits The Beach And The Club As Daily Leaks Hit One Full Week — forbes.com
- Parts of ‘Grand Theft Auto 6’ leaked, months before game gets released – Los Angeles Times — latimes.com
- ‘GTA 6’ Leaks Ignite Gamer Backlash— And A PR Disaster For Rockstar — forbes.com
