Take-Two subpoenas Microsoft and Discord to identify GTA 6 leakers
Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, has filed subpoenas against Microsoft and Discord in a bid to identify the person or persons behind the recent Grand Theft Auto 6 leaks. The legal action, reported by Kotaku and confirmed by court filings, demands that both companies hand over user data and records associated with accounts that shared the leaked material. The move marks the beginning of what is expected to be an aggressive legal campaign to protect one of the most anticipated games in history.
The subpoenas were filed in the Southern District of New York on August 20th, citing copyright infringement. According to the filing, Take-Two has "submitted a sworn declaration confirming that the purpose for which the DMCA subpoena is sought is to obtain the identity of an alleged infringer or infringers." The copyrighted material in question "includes but is not limited to audiovisual content, artwork, images, dialogue, or other creative elements" from Grand Theft Auto 6. Both Microsoft and Discord have been given until September 4th to comply with the requests.
What the subpoenas demand The subpoena directed at Microsoft requests "all internal Microsoft business records and investigative records associated with Microsoft’s internal investigation of the ‘cyberleek’ persona sufficient to identify the user(s), person(s) and/or entity/ies associated with that persona." Cyberleek is the handle used by the leaker or leakers who have been posting clips of GTA 6 gameplay footage online over the past week. The Discord subpoena goes further, asking for "all identifying information associated with all user accounts that are/were members" of specific servers between June 1st and the present. This includes account IDs, registration emails, IP addresses (both registration and last-login), phone numbers, linked accounts such as Google or Xbox, device identifiers, and any content related to Grand Theft Auto, Rockstar, or Cyberleek stored on OneDrive accounts.
One of the Discord servers listed in the subpoena reportedly belongs to Australian GTA YouTuber Matthew Judge, known online as DarkViperAU. Judge expressed confusion on Twitter, stating: "I am confused. I did say he can't drive multiple times, so maybe I caused him to write 'Cyberleek can't drive' on the most recent clips? Maybe he visited my Discord, I dunno. Rockstar hasn't emailed me, I suspect if they thought I knew something personally they would do so." It remains unclear whether Judge has any connection to the leaks or if his server was simply included as a precautionary measure.
The leaks themselves have been substantial. Over the past several days, Cyberleek has released multiple clips of GTA 6, including a two-minute video showing a supercar driving through the streets of Vice City. The footage is visually impressive but, as one observer noted, "in terms of gameplay, well, it's definitely GTA." The leaks have persisted despite Take-Two's efforts to take down videos across various platforms, leading to speculation that the leaker may have access to a playable build of the game. Rockstar and Take-Two have not publicly commented on the situation.
Take-Two's history of aggressive legal action Take-Two has a well-documented history of aggressively protecting its intellectual property. The company has previously pursued legal action against modders, cheat makers, and anyone else seen as infringing on its copyrights. Given the stakes involved with GTA 6 — widely considered the most anticipated game of the decade — it is unsurprising that the publisher is deploying its full legal resources. The company's market cap took a $2.8 billion hit in the wake of the leaks, though that represents a relatively small fraction of its total valuation of around $45 billion, and the share price has since recovered.
The hunt for the leaker may not take long. PC Gamer editor Tyler Wilde reportedly uncovered clues about the leaker's identity shortly after the leaks began, without the benefit of a legal team or the US justice system. With Take-Two now involved, the leaker's anonymity appears increasingly fragile. As one commentator put it, "It's all fun and games until the lawyers show up."
For the average person, the safest course of action is to avoid engaging with the leaks altogether. Security experts have warned against downloading files claiming to be leaked GTA 6 builds, as they could contain malware. The leaker's days of anonymity may be numbered, but for now, Cyberleek continues to release footage, and Take-Two continues its pursuit.