The "Grand Theft Auto VI" leak is speeding ahead without an exit in sight

Meanwhile, the "Grand Theft Auto VI" leak is speeding ahead without an exit in sight.

Key points

• Stunning stat: Take-Two Interactive, the parent firm behind the game's publisher Rockstar, lost $2 billion in market cap against the backdrop of the recent leaks.
• The hacker went silent for 24 hours, fueling speculation they had been caught, before resurfacing Friday with footage of a character destroying a Bugatti.
• The "Grand Theft Auto VI" leak is speeding ahead without an exit in sight.
• The other side: Rockstar and Take-Two did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Axios.
• Take-Two has requested federal subpoenas to Microsoft and Discord seeking details related to the leaks.

Meanwhile, the "Grand Theft Auto VI" leak is speeding ahead without an exit in sight. Add Axios as your preferred source to. See more of our stories on Google.

Stunning stat: Take-Two Interactive, the parent firm behind the game's publisher Rockstar, lost $2 billion in market cap against the backdrop of the recent leaks. The value has since rebounded.

Driving the news: An anonymous hacker using the handle LEEK has shared at least six clips seemingly showing "GTA VI" gameplay, including. A cutscene of the game's protagonist drinking beer on a boat.

Gameplay of a woman stealing a car, getting chased by the cops and then shooting at law enforcement from a rooftop.

Footage of a plane published after the hacker asked fans to vote on what to leak next by buying a memecoin. A map of the game's fictional state of Leonida.

For context, the hacker went silent for 24 hours, fueling speculation they had been caught, before resurfacing Friday with footage of a character destroying a Bugatti.

Reality check: There has been some skepticism regarding whether these are real leaks or if the clips are polished versions of the older "GTA V." Rockstar has not officially confirmed the footage.

But one leaked clip, in which the hacker wrote "LEEK" with bullets on a wall, seemed to win over public opinion, with plenty of deeming the files real.

Plenty of now believe the leaker has the full game, especially as posters have been hit with DMCA takedown notices.

Most of the leaks have been pulled from social media after copyright claims, and at least one account posting them has been suspended from X.

What they're saying: The hacker notes the leaks are a protest against Rockstar taking digital preorders without offering a physical edition of "GTA VI."

"Preorders were not created for gamers. They were created since physical discs had manufacturing limits, " the leaker reportedly posted online.

"If publishers want revenue before launch, they can press discs. Print boxes. Put them on shelves. Earn that funds through physical production."

For context, the hacker additionally reportedly threatened Rockstar and other businesses to "behave" or suffer similar leaks for their games.

In practice, the other side: Rockstar and Take-Two did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Axios.

This isn't the first time Rockstar has had to handle "GTA VI" leaks.

Zoom out: Accounts sharing the clips have garnered millions of views throughout X, YouTube and TikTok.

"If this is real. Rockstar is cooking something INSANE, " wrote one excited fan on X.

Yes, but: Some gamers are worried the hacker will share crucial details of the "GTA VI" story before its launch in November.

"It is going to be very irritating for millions of people to potentially dodge story spoilers for three months, " writes gaming journalist Paul Tassi on X.

What's next: Rockstar intends to release new footage in a Netflix special on Aug. 28.

How much of that has already leaked is anyone's guess (except for, maybe, LEEKs).

Go deeper: The video game industry is running out of extra lives.

In short, the " Grand Theft Auto VI" leak is speeding ahead without an exit is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.