Take-Two Sues Microsoft and Discord Over Grand Theft Auto VI Leaks

Take-Two Interactive has issued subpoenas to Microsoft and Discord in an effort to unmask the individual or group behind the online persona known as Cyberleek. The move comes after Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay clips and what appeared to be the entire in-game map began circulating online, months before its scheduled release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

The petitions, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, seek account IDs, IP addresses, registration emails, phone numbers, and telemetry records tied to Cyberleek. Take-Two is also demanding Microsoft's internal investigation records regarding GitHub and OneDrive links tied to the leak.

Cyberleek has framed the breach as a protest against the gaming industry's shift toward all-digital releases, but some observers have questioned its motives. The group's website solicits crypto donations and lets visitors vote on which leak should be released next, with Cyberleek claiming the funds are meant to bankroll an unspecified 'secret project.'

The leaked footage has already generated significant financial fallout for Take-Two, with the company's stock plummeting amid the leak-related chaos. The financial impact is expected to be substantial, with Sensor Tower estimates suggesting Grand Theft Auto VI had already generated $429 million in pre-order revenue across 4.38 million units.

The incident has echoes of a previous security disaster involving Rockstar Games, which was breached by an 18-year-old hacker in September 2022. The breach cost Rockstar $5 million and thousands of staff hours to remediate, and raises questions about the vulnerability of game developers to cyber attacks.