The video game industry is shrouded in secrecy, as numerous projects are developed quietly behind closed doors. That doesn’t stop the leaks from happening, though, and few are as infamous as the Grand Theft Auto 6 leak from September 2022. This is arguably the most substantial leak in video game history in terms of volume, as over 90 videos of early footage were shared around the world. Despite this, the leak doesn’t seem to have impacted the game’s development schedule, according to a statement from Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick — a great sign for players looking forward to GTA 6.
As part of an interview with IGN, Strauss Zelnick said he doesn’t think the leaks will impact the business side of GTA 6.
We take leaks very seriously indeed and they disappoint all of us, it's really frustrating and upsetting to the team. However, as a business matter, we're not affected. But as a personal matter and an emotional matter, our teams are affected.
With that in mind, we can infer that GTA 6’s developmental timeline hasn’t shifted.
A Positive Sign
Based on Zelnick’s statement, it’s possible GTA 6’s development is coming along smoothly, and could be ready to launch sooner than some might expect.
The leaked footage from September 2022 looked preliminary and far from fleshed out, meaning it was likely from a much earlier build. This is something we can assume since the game’s release schedule doesn’t seem to have changed.
If the footage were from a more current build, the leaks would have likely had more of an impact on the game’s production. This isn’t always true, but considering the game is still on schedule, it’s possible the footage was much older.
Some members of the community were not happy with the state of the footage, due to how unfinished it looked (which makes sense, since the game is still in production). Even considering how unpolished the early footage was, it’s heartening to know the leaks haven’t impacted the game’s development.
Of course, it’s not totally clear at what stage in the development process the footage was from, but given Zelnick’s statement, GTA 6 is likely much further along than it seems.
Buying More Time
However, Zelnick’s statement is worded in such a way that could buy the Rockstar team more time if need be. If it ever comes to the point in which Rockstar’s internal schedule for GTA 6 needs to shift, Zelnick can say that it’s because the team was upset and impacted by the leaks.
It’s sort of an indirect way to buy more time from investors, without necessarily needing to say anything just yet. Investors often have a lot to do with a game’s production and schedule, and since Take-Two is a publically traded company, Rockstar is likely trying to keep its investors happy.
Unfortunately, if this happens, it’ll mean we’ll have to, wait longer for GTA 6. But considering it’s been over a decade since the previous entry, what’s another year or so?
Ultimately, it’s unclear when GTA 6 will be ready to ship, but it’s possible Rockstar will reveal more later this year, with a possible 2024 release date. For now, we can rest easy knowing the game hasn’t shifted its schedule following the monumental leak from 2022.
