A massive leak about GTA 6 is currently circulating on the internet. MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski says: This is bad for all of us.
Whenever a leak about a video game appears, I have the same tedious discussion online. Over and over again, some people feel the need to claim that leaks are just part of an elaborate marketing plan. However, those who claim this only show one thing: ignorance.
Leaks on the scale of GTA 6 massively harm the game. Videos of gameplay from an early version of the game are circulating online. Likewise, part of the source code of GTA 6 has been released.
Currently, we cannot yet assess how high the overall damage to Rockstar will be. It will take weeks to work through all of this. Furthermore, we can assume that the leaker has withheld further material. The leaker has already mentioned wanting to negotiate with Rockstar (via twitter.com).
Allegedly, he has the source code of GTA 5 and more of GTA 6. He demands a sum in the five-digit range, meaning at least $10,000, to keep the code from going public.
Unfinished material obviously looks bad
The leaked material comes from an early development phase and appears correspondingly unfinished. Details are missing, lighting is insufficient, and the movement still looks jerky. This is normal at this stage.
These may be exciting insights for people who delve deeper into video games, perhaps those who have already been involved in early development phases as testers. However, that is by no means the majority of players.
So, it’s not surprising that there are comments on the material that it all looks shockingly poor for 2022. My colleague Phillip Elsner explains in detail on GameStar why one should not pass judgment on GTA 6 based on the leak material.
If you have ever practiced a craft, whether it’s painting, cooking, knitting, or building, then you know how frustrating it is when someone looks over your shoulder halfway through the process, scrutinizes the unfinished product with disapproving eyes and makes comments. Or, even worse: giving well-meaning and unsolicited advice on how it could be done better.
Leaked source code is the biggest evil
While unfinished material can be forgotten once the finished game is released, the situation is different with the source code. The source code is the foundation of every program, every piece of software, and thus every video game.
On the one hand, this is something you don’t want to be in the hands of the competition. But access to it also opens the floodgates for hacks in GTA Online. Access to the source code makes hackers nearly unstoppable and it would be easy to infuse the game with cheats.
At this point, it should be clear how massive the damage really is.
The release of GTA 6 will be delayed due to the leak
The leak means bad news for everyone eagerly awaiting the new GTA 6. Because everything that happens here means that the release will be delayed.
What needs to happen now:
- the damage must be limited
- the extent of the damage must be assessed
- the origins of the leak must be found
- the source code will most likely need to be rewritten in parts
- the team’s morale must be restored
These are just the most important points that I can assess from an outside perspective. What is really happening behind the scenes, no one can say.
All of this costs time and money, which again comes at the expense of the players. As we now fear, also with Diablo 4: Leaker misuses Alpha access, shows 43 minutes of gameplay from Diablo 4 and the shop
Update 4:00 PM: Meanwhile, Rockstar has released a statement, in which the studio expresses its disappointment and officially confirms the leak.
I can understand that after all this time, one might even be excited to finally see a sign of life and material for GTA 6. But ultimately, nothing could have happened that is worse for Rockstar and ultimately also for the fans.
