Take-Two and Rockstar Games Subpoena Microsoft and Discord Over GTA 6 Leaks

Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, has taken significant legal action by filing federal court subpoenas against technology giants Microsoft and Discord. These subpoenas, lodged with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, are a direct response to the unauthorized dissemination of copyrighted material related to the highly anticipated game, Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6). The legal documents specifically aim to uncover the identities of individuals or groups responsible for leaking various forms of intellectual property, including audiovisual content, artwork, dialogue, and other creative assets that were posted online without permission. This move follows a notable incident where a hacker group, identifying itself as CyberLeek, released multiple gameplay clips allegedly captured from a playable build of GTA 6. Court filings reveal that some of this infringing material was uploaded to Microsoft's GitHub developer platform, a widely used service for software development and collaboration. Concurrently, other leaked media found its way onto numerous Discord servers, a popular communication platform extensively used by gaming communities for real-time chat and content sharing. In response to these legal requests, Discord has publicly stated its commitment to cooperating with valid Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) subpoenas, a framework designed to protect copyright holders in the digital age. Scott Van Vliet, the Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft's Xbox division, has also affirmed the company's active collaboration with Take-Two and Rockstar Games, emphasizing their shared goal of safeguarding intellectual property. Despite the disruption caused by these leaks, the development and strategic preparations for Grand Theft Auto 6's official launch are reportedly proceeding without significant impediment. This resilience is further underscored by statements from Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, who, during an August earnings call, highlighted an "exceptional start" to preorders, indicating robust consumer enthusiasm and demand for the title. Adding to the pre-release buzz, Netflix is set to offer an exclusive "extended look" at Grand Theft Auto 6, a preview that will be unveiled prior to its broader public release across various digital platforms. Grand Theft Auto 6 is officially scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, for the latest generation of consoles, specifically the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. The exclusive extended preview from Netflix is slated for debut on August 27.