Take-Two Interactive, the publisher behind Grand Theft Auto VI, has taken its fight against the game’s latest leaks to federal court, seeking information from Microsoft and Discord that could help identify the people behind the unauthorized footage.
The long-awaited Grand Theft Auto VI is facing a fresh leak crisis just days before Rockstar Games’ scheduled major preview of the game.
Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of GTA VI developer Rockstar Games, obtained federal subpoenas requiring Microsoft and Discord to turn over information connected to the recent circulation of alleged GTA VI gameplay material online. The requests were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and approved by two federal judges.
According to court documents cited by GMA News and Variety, Take-Two is seeking information under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to identify alleged copyright infringers. The company says the material at issue may include audiovisual content, artwork, images, dialogue and other creative elements belonging to the publisher.
THE NAME AT THE CENTER OF THE LEAKS
The recent footage has been associated with an online persona calling itself CyberLeek.
Multiple clips began appearing online this week, with the material reportedly showing gameplay elements involving Jason Duval, one of GTA VI’s two protagonists. The footage has included activities such as driving, flying and combat, while another clip reportedly showed the player spelling “LEEK” by shooting holes into a wall.
CyberLeek has claimed responsibility for the material and reportedly framed the leaks as a protest over issues including digital game distribution and industry business practices. However, the identity of the person or people behind the account has not been publicly established.
Importantly, Rockstar Games has not publicly confirmed that the leaked footage is authentic. Take-Two’s court filings assert that the material infringes copyrights, but that legal assertion does not amount to a public confirmation from Rockstar about the provenance or completeness of the leaked game build.
WHY MICROSOFT AND DISCORD MATTER
The subpoenas could give Take-Two a path toward identifying accounts allegedly involved in distributing or posting the leaked material.
The Microsoft request relates to material allegedly uploaded to GitHub, Microsoft’s developer platform, while the Discord subpoena concerns allegedly infringing material shared through Discord servers and accounts. Take-Two is seeking information that could identify suspected source accounts as well as information concerning users connected to forums where the material circulated.
The companies are required to respond by September 4, according to the court documents reported by GMA News.
Microsoft has indicated that it is cooperating with Take-Two and Rockstar. Xbox CTO Scott Van Vliet said Microsoft is working with the companies to protect their creative works and intellectual property. Discord, meanwhile, told Variety that it routinely reviews and complies with valid DMCA-related subpoenas.
THE TIMING COULD NOT BE MORE SENSITIVE
The legal action comes at a particularly crucial moment for Rockstar’s carefully controlled GTA VI marketing campaign.
Rockstar is scheduled to present an exclusive extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI on Netflix on August 27, with the presentation later expected to become available on YouTube and other platforms. The game itself is scheduled for release on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
That means the leak controversy is unfolding immediately before one of Rockstar’s biggest official promotional moments for the game.
GMA News reported that the leaks continued even as the legal action unfolded, including another clip showing a game character stealing a sports car. The continuing releases threaten to undermine the tightly managed marketing campaign surrounding one of the most anticipated video games in years.
THIS ISN’T ROCKSTAR’S FIRST GTA VI LEAK BATTLE
The latest incident also revives memories of the massive GTA VI security breach in 2022, when an attacker released a large quantity of early development footage online.
The current situation is different in important respects: the latest material is being circulated under the CyberLeek name, while the source of the new footage remains publicly unidentified. Reports have also raised questions about whether the leaker has direct access to a playable build or obtained the material through another source.
For now, neither Rockstar nor Take-Two has publicly confirmed the full circumstances surrounding the latest leak.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The September 4 deadline could become a major turning point.
If Microsoft and Discord provide information that helps identify the accounts behind the leaks, Take-Two’s legal campaign could move from simply removing unauthorized material online to pursuing the individuals allegedly responsible.
At the same time, Rockstar is approaching its August 27 official preview with millions of fans waiting for new information about GTA VI.
And that leaves one major question hanging over the game’s biggest marketing week yet:
Will Take-Two identify the people behind CyberLeek before more of the game gets out?
For now, the identity of the alleged leaker remains unknown — but the legal hunt is officially underway.
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