👀 Rockstar Games officially addressed recent GTA 6 leaks, expressing regret that the public saw unfinished gameplay footage this way
😔 The developer apologized for the long development timeline and thanked the community for their support during this difficult period
🔜 An extended look at the game is scheduled for release on Netflix tomorrow, August 27, followed by a YouTube release six hours later
🤔 Rockstar did not clarify the source or nature of the leaks but remained focused on delivering the final game experience on November 19
Rockstar Games, the developer of GTA 6, has released a statement addressing the game’s ongoing leaks that have shown gameplay footage and various spoilers.
In a lengthy statement on X, the developer said:
“Dear all,
“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. We are very sorry that everything has taken as long as it has – from getting the game finished (nearly there!) to sharing more details and official gameplay, and providing the community with everything you want to know.
“We are very excited for everyone to see the extended look tomorrow. It has taken longer than we wanted to get it ready, but as with everything we do, we know we need to exceed your expectations, and we are determined to deliver at the level you expect and deserve. While it is unfortunate that the intended game experience may now be impacted by some spoilers, we hope that everyone will wait a bit longer to experience the game for themselves on November 19.
“We want to thank everyone in the community who has reached out with messages of support this past week – your words have meant more to this team than you can imagine. Ultimately, we are making this game for you, and without you, we would not have the privilege of making games.
“We look forward to sharing more with you soon.
“Sincerely, Rockstar Games”
The statement is an interesting one, as there’s no admission from Rockstar that the leaked game is from an early build, or any explanation of how the leaks have happened. Instead, it’s almost apologetic in tone, and acknowledges that the game has taken far longer than many expected to release.
As an ex-Rockstar director has said, most people won’t have even seen the leaks, or refused to watch them out of principle. However, it’s still been a damaging time for the company, as it will need to review how the situation occurred, and has obviously spent a lot of resources and time trying to take down the videos when they appear. There’s also no doubt that the company is actively trying to find the leaker so that they can pursue legal action.
As the statement says, the GTA 6 extended look takes place on Netflix tomorrow, August 27. It’ll come to YouTube six hours later.
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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.