Between August 18 and 23, 2026, hacking collective Cyberleek released multiple gameplay clips and a full map image of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) online, revealing details about the game world and features ahead of Rockstar Games' scheduled reveals [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].
The leaked footage centers on co-protagonist Jason engaging in activities such as playing basketball, driving cars, fighting NPCs, using a taser, and piloting a biplane over the in-game Vice City area [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. Fans have noted little footage of the other co-protagonist, Lucia Caminos, who is reportedly imprisoned early in the storyline [8].
The shared map, labeled "Leonida," depicts five counties: Vice Dale (containing Vice City), Leonard, Kelly, Mariana, and Lummox, outlining the expansive game environment [2, 3, 6, 7]. The gameplay HUD reveals elements like a stamina meter, a six-star wanted system, and two money types—one for the player’s wallet and one tied to home funds [1, 3, 4].
Cyberleek’s manifesto, posted August 21 then taken offline, criticizes game publishers for abandoning physical discs and pushing digital-only releases and "fake" single-player DLC. It warned other publishers that "if CyberLeek can reach Rockstar, no one is safe," threatening future attacks if the digital-only path continues [9, 3, 10, 4, 7].
Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar’s parent company, responded by issuing DMCA takedown requests and pursuing legal action. Subpoenas were served to Microsoft and Discord on August 24 seeking information to identify Cyberleek members [2, 4, 11, 7].
Security analysts noted the leaks appear from an earlier or unfinished build, with unclear ties to current official materials [1, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Some sources suggest Cyberleek’s campaign is also a cryptocurrency scam, promoting a meme coin called "$CYBERLEEK" with over $30,000 earned in the first 24 hours from trading fees and 270 million coins sent to a private wallet [3, 4, 12, 7].
The consumer rights group Stop Killing Games condemned the leaks, urging fans not to fund the hackers and stressing the harm to developers. They said, "This kind of act is destructive and helps no one, worse, it risks tarnishing the reputation of our communities and our chances to make change" [10, 4].
GTA 6 remains scheduled to release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X on November 19, 2026. Rockstar plans to premiere an official extended look trailer on Netflix at 8:00 p.m. BST on August 27 [1, 3, 7].
