Summary
- GTA 6 leaks were big due to Rockstar's secrecy, says former developer.
- Many understand leaks were not developers' fault, show empathy.
- Rockstar's silence necessary to avoid undue pressure and negative coverage.
A former Rockstar Games developer has argued that the devastating September 2022 leaks of Grand Theft Auto 6 wouldn't be as significant if the studio hadn't remained constantly silent about the title. In one of the biggest data breaches in the history of the games industry, Grand Theft Auto 6 was profoundly leaked when hackers infiltrated Rockstar's servers and obtained around 90 minutes of highly sensitive development footage of the highly anticipated game.
The videos prematurely publicized confidential details about GTA 6, such as its protagonists, setting, environments, etc. To make matters even more precarious for Rockstar, there were rumors floating around that the hackers had procured GTA 6's source code from the leaks, and that they were intent on selling it off to the highest bidder. Thankfully, that didn't come to pass, but it still doesn't change the fact that this was the very first impression of GTA 6 for everyone outside the developers working on it. Understandably, both Take-Two and Rockstar Games acted very quickly to take down the leaks wherever they were posted.
Take-Two Interactive Says GTA 6 Leaks in 2022 Were ‘Emotional’
In response to early Grand Theft Auto 6 footage doing the rounds in 2022, Take-Two Interactive's CEO says the leaks were an 'emotional matter.'
A lot of people, including other game developers, who came across the untimely GTA 6 leaks were fortunately empathetic enough to not judge them too harshly. However, according to former Rockstar developer Obbe Vermeij, who worked on iconic games like GTA 3 and GTA San Andreas, the GTA 6 leaks aren't as big a deal as many might believe. Speaking in a recent YouTube interview with SanInPlay, Vermeij claimed that the GTA 6 leaks were only significant for fans because "Rockstar doesn't give them any news," and that the leaks wouldn't be "as important as people think" if not for the studio's enduring secrecy.
Rockstar's Secrecy Around GTA 6 is Necessary Despite the Leaks, Says Vermeij
While Vermeij's remarks may initially appear scathing, he actually went on to defend Rockstar's sparse communication approach by stating that he fully understands why gaming powerhouses like "Rockstar or EA or Ubisoft" choose to remain quiet about their big projects. According to Vermeij, this is because every time a "big company" drops any news or official statements, it often gets "analyzed" and receives negative coverage. Given the circumstances, Vermeij contends that the "best bet" for a developer is to just remain quiet. This can unfortunately lead to situations like the GTA 6 leak, which Vermeij underscores is not the developers' fault.
Interestingly, Vermeij recently made separate headlines for claiming that Rockstar fans should tone down their expectations for GTA 6, as it might not be that generational a leap from its predecessor, 2013's Grand Theft Auto 5. While Rockstar's talent for building unprecedentedly impressive worlds is well established, Vermeij's advice is likely sound since fan expectations can sometimes be unrealistic, which puts undue pressure on developers. In any case, fans will experience the full scope of GTA 6 once it releases in fall 2025.
OpenCritic Reviews
- Released
- November 19, 2026
- ESRB
- Rating Pending - Likely Mature 17+
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
WHERE TO PLAY
Grand Theft Auto VI heads to the state of Leonida, home to the neon-soaked streets of Vice City and beyond in the biggest, most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet.
Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.
- Franchise
- Grand Theft Auto
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
