Rockstar Games confirms huge Grand Theft Auto VI leak

Officials at Rockstar Games expressed disappointment today that in-development footage of their next Grand Theft Auto leaked Sunday but said it will not derail the game.

Why it matters: The unprecedented leak spilled 90 videos of the expected blockbuster online, with the apparent leaker threatening to also release the game's source code.

• Rockstar's preference for secrecy and surprise, combined with the risk of its game code being exposed, prompted some to worry that Rockstar would need to delay the game.
• But in a tweeted statement this morning, Rockstar said its development plans are unchanged.
• It also referred to the leak as "a network intrusion in which an unauthorized third party illegally accessed and downloaded confidential information from our systems."

What they're saying: "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 noted today.

• "Our work on the next Grand Theft Auto game will continue as planned and we remain as committed as ever to delivering an experience to you, our players, that truly exceeds your expectations."

Between the lines: Since Sunday, Rockstar and parent company Take-Two Interactive have been scrubbing as much of the leaked footage from the internet as possible.

• YouTube videos showing the footage have been wiped with copyright claims.

• Popular GTA forums have scrubbed visuals from the leak.
• The leak has nevertheless, seemingly confirmed previously reported details, including the next GTA's location (Miami/Vice City) and the inclusion of a playable female character as one of its leads, a big change for the blockbuster series.

The hacker who released the footage has begun disappearing from the internet, a day after brazenly saying they were ready to sell GTA's source code and were willing to "negotiate" with Rockstar.

• A Telegram account tied to the hacker has been deleted.

Go deeper: Grand Theft Auto VI footage leaks, hacker threatens to spill more

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