Image via Take-Two Interactive/Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games parent company Take-Two Interactive is taking legal action to track down the individual or individuals known as “Cyberleek” that has spent the week leaking footage from what appears to be an older build of the upcoming game Grand Theft Auto VI. According to Kotaku, Take-Two has subpoenaed software conglomerate Microsoft and communications chat platform Discord to track down information about the unknown leaker.
Take-Two is making separate requests for each of the two companies as it seeks to halt the release of any further leaks, asking each company to comply by September 4. Of Microsoft, it is petitioning the company to produce “all internal Microsoft business records and investigative records associated with Microsoft’s internal investigation of the ‘cyberleek’ persona sufficient to identify the user(s), person(s) and/or entity/ies associated with that persona.”
The petition apparently makes reference to a Github repository where leaked content had been posted (Microsoft purchased Github in 2018). It’s also looking for any identifying information about users interacting with specific Discord servers and access to any affiliated individuals’ OneDrive account.
Discord has been asked to provide records of specific Discord users and servers. One such server is affiliated with content creator Matthew Judge, who posted on X that he was unclear why his server had been identified in the subpoena.
“I don’t know anything. That isn’t my editors discord. There aren’t even any clips of the leaks in either of my Discords,” Judge wrote. He speculated that his server might have been swept up because of possible references to his content in some videos released by Cyberleek.
The GTA VI leaker has threatened to target other large game publishers
It’s not surprising that Take-Two might be casting such a wide net—especially when according to Bloomberg News, the company currently has no information regarding Cyberleek’s identity or any explanation for how it gained access to such confidential material.
The company is reportedly not allowing these events to alter its upcoming major trailer reveal for the game that will be released in partnership with Netflix.
Sources speaking to Bloomberg also described the mood of employees and company leaders as “angry.” This is the second time Rockstar has been targeted in a major cybersecurity breach, and the company implemented strict security policies following the first incident. Bloomberg reports that this included a full return-to-office mandate for hybrid and remote workers, and that some workers are frustrated that a second hack has taken place even following the reportedly controversial changes.
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Developers and industry professionals not employed by Rockstar should be aware that Cyberleek has posted a wider threat targeting video game publishers who fail to abide by its “commandments.” These commandments come from a manifesto posted on its website (reviewed by Game Developer). These commandments concern digital pre-orders, day-one downloadable content (DLC), and online game preservation.
It concludes with a warning to “all big corpo” that they might become the next target.
Game Developer has reached out to Take-Two Interactive for comment on this story and will update it upon the company’s response.
About the Author
Senior Editor, GameDeveloper.com
Bryant Francis is a writer, journalist, and narrative designer based in Boston, MA. He currently writes for Game Developer, a leading B2B publication for the video game industry. His credits include Proxy Studios’ 4X strategy game Zephon, Iron Anchor Studios’ Down With The Ship, and Amplitude Studio’s 2017 game Endless Space 2.
