Malware Disguised as Leaked GTA 6 Copies Are Popping Up on Piracy Sites
No, despite claims online, there is not a downloadable and playable build of GTA 6 floating around on piracy sites.
Earlier this week, a leaker known as CyberLeek began posting alleged gameplay footage from Grand Theft Auto 6. Ever since these leaks began appearing, there's been no shortage of fake news and misleading claims spreading online. Various users have impersonated the leaker on social media to capitalize on the situation, fake AI videos claiming to be new leaks have also circulated, and now, people are suggesting that there's an actual playable version of the game floating around the internet.
Various pirating and torrenting sites have been populated with download links to an alleged GTA 6 build. Don't download these. They are malware and will compromise your computer in various ways. According to experts from NordVPN, these downloads have been floating around all year, but have experienced a resurgence with the recent leaks.
“Every time GTA 6 makes headlines, leaked footage spreads through re-uploads, Discord links, and unofficial mirrors, which is exactly the environment where fake 'leak' downloads and credential-harvesting pages thrive," said Marijus Briedis, CTO at NordVPN. "Fans looking for leaks or removed clips might land on unfamiliar sites, and in that moment they trust what they find. That's the window attackers exploit.”
While some may find the idea of a GTA 6 build leaking online outrageous in of itself, there is precedent for such a thing. In late 2023, Insomniac Games was hacked and a playable version of Marvel's Wolverine found its way online. Three years later, and that game is finally about to be officially released to the public. There's no indication that a build of GTA 6 will find its way online, but the situation is ceratinly unique and disruptive to Rockstar.
As for the newly leaked footage itself, some thought it was obtained by hacking Rockstar, similar to the big leak for the game that happened in 2022. As it turns out, there may be more here than meets the eye, as the hacker spelled out their own name with bullets in-game in one of the leaked videos. This seems to suggest that the leaker is actually in possession of a working build of the game, but we don't know much else on the matter. Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive have yet to comment on the situation, so all we can really do is speculate right now.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is expected to officially unveil its gameplay next week on August 27 via an event on Netflix and, later in the day, YouTube. Not much is known about how long the event will be or the exact specifics of what will be shown, but it's hyped up to be the biggest look at the game to date.
Grand Theft Auto 6 will release on Xbox Series X|S and PS5 on November 19.
Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.