An unauthorized leak campaign targeting Grand Theft Auto 6 has escalated as the hacking collective responsible begins asking community members to demonstrate outside developer offices in exchange for additional unreleased game footage.
The group behind the breach, operating under the name Cyberleek, has proven unusually difficult for publisher Take-Two Interactive and developer Rockstar Games to shut down. Rather than using conventional hosting platforms vulnerable to standard Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown requests, the perpetrators uploaded the stolen media to Arweave. Arweave is a decentralized, blockchain-like protocol where data is replicated across network nodes permanently following a one-time fee. Although individual access gateways have blocked the material, the data remains intact on the network, allowing new gameplay clips to surface through alternative access points.
Take-Two has pursued aggressive legal remedies to unmask the perpetrators. After filing subpoenas against Microsoft and Discord last week, the company recently issued a court order directed at social media platform X. Despite maintaining public silence, internal morale at Rockstar has reportedly suffered. Sources cited by Bloomberg indicate studio leadership is furious over the breach, while employees feel exhausted and frustrated. Rockstar had previously enhanced its cybersecurity measures after a major leak in 2023, but the latest compromise bypassed those protections, leaving executives uncertain about how the internal network was infiltrated.
As the situation lingers, Cyberleek has expanded its efforts to profit directly from the stolen assets. The group updated its contact portal to offer paid advertising slots and bespoke footage requests, while using online fan votes to decide future releases. A recent leak showing in-game strip club footage was unlocked only after supporters propelled the group's affiliated cryptocurrency to a market capitalization of $3 million within a matter of hours.
In their latest stunt, the hackers attached a physical condition to a promised nude town video leak. Cyberleek demanded that at least 10 fans appear during business hours outside Take-Two or Rockstar offices dressed as leeks while holding physical game discs. The group claims its actions are motivated by opposition to a digital-only release strategy for Grand Theft Auto 6, though their activities remain heavily commercialized. While real-world compliance remains uncertain, security concerns exist given past incidents, including the arrest of a YouTuber who attempted to enter Rockstar's Edinburgh studio earlier this year.
About the Author
