Rockstar Finally Breaks Silence on GTA VI Gameplay Leaks

After a week of Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay clips spreading across the internet, Rockstar Games has broken its silence, calling the leaks “heartbreaking for our team” in a statement posted to its social channels today. The studio says this is obviously not how it intended for anyone to see the game after all this time, and it’s the first official acknowledgment of the footage since the clips started circulating.

Much of the statement reads as an apology for how long the whole road to release has taken, from finishing the game, which Rockstar describes as “nearly there,” to sharing official gameplay and details with the community. The studio also thanked fans who reached out with messages of support over the past week and asked that everyone hold out a bit longer to experience the game for themselves when it launches on November 19 on PlayStation 5 and XBOX Series X|S.

As for the timing of the statement, it arrives one day before the extended look premieres on Netflix, which is still on for tomorrow, Thursday, August 27 at 12:00 PM Pacific (3:00 PM Eastern), before hitting YouTube and the Rockstar site six hours later. Rockstar admits the showing has taken longer than it wanted to get ready, but says it’s determined to deliver at the level fans expect. The leaks haven’t moved anything: the extended look is happening, and the release date is holding.

As I said when preorders opened back in June, I figured the internet would start taking bets on a 2027 slip after the November delay hit, and that still hasn’t happened. The statement makes no mention of who is behind the leaks or how the footage got out. For now, the best answer Rockstar has is showing everyone the real thing tomorrow afternoon.