2026's weirdest tech leak involves scuba diving, a Caribbean island, and Gearbox head honcho Randy Pitchford, and no, it's not what you expect

Randy Pitchford at the "Now You See Me: Now You Don't" world premiere held at The Lighthouse Pier 61 on November 10, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by Stephanie Augello/Variety via Getty Images).

Games and tech products can leak in all manner of strange ways. But the curious case of the Pixel Watch 5 is by far the weirdest I've heard about. The accidental unveiling of what appears to be Google's next smartwatch involves scuba diving, Caribbean idylls, and Gearbox CEO/walking headline generator Randy Pitchford.

For once, Pitchford isn't the main character of the story. Instead, he's the narrator. Earlier this week, Pitchford posted on X that "a friend" of his had inadvertently stumbled upon what appears to be a Pixel Watch 5, which Google has yet to announce. The twist? The watch was underwater when it was found by Pitchford's pal, who was scuba diving at the time.