Take-Two Initiates Hunt for GTA 6 Leaker, Microsoft and Discord Drawn Into the Fray

Ongoing GTA 6 gameplay leaks spreading across the internet have forced Take-Two to escalate from content removal to litigation. Rockstar Games' parent company is now trying to force Microsoft and Discord to hand over data to pinpoint the person or team using the handle 'Cyberleek'.

Take-Two Is Determined to Find Cyberleek's Real Name

In recent days, many gameplay clips that have never been officially released by Rockstar Games have appeared on social media. These videos are said to show the character in GTA 6 driving, playing basketball, piloting aircraft, and exploring various areas of Vice City.

Instead of only issuing copyright takedown requests as before, Take-Two has taken an additional step by filing a petition in the Southern District of New York, using the mechanism under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to uncover the identities of those involved.

The main target of the investigation is Cyberleek, an alias believed to be behind the mass distribution of unauthorized GTA 6 content.

Microsoft Might Be Required to Surrender IP Addresses and Xbox Data

Microsoft was dragged into the case because GitHub once hosted content related to the leaks. However, the scope of data Take-Two seeks is not limited to the code repository platform.

According to the disclosed documents, the company is requesting information such as account IDs, registered emails, IP addresses, phone numbers, and linked accounts. Data from OneDrive or Xbox associated with the suspects is also within the targeted scope.

This indicates that Take-Two aims to piece together various technical traces to uncover the real identity behind Cyberleek, rather than simply tracking a single social media account.

Discord Is Also Under the Microscope

Discord is the second platform to be included in the investigation. Several accounts and servers that are believed to have been in contact with Cyberleek have been mentioned in the filings.

Take-Two wants to access registration data, access history, and technical information related to the suspected accounts. Microsoft and Discord are required to provide documents before the deadline 4/9.

Notably, Discord later stated that it had not received a formal subpoena at the time of the announcement and would evaluate the validity and scope of the request before responding.

GTA 6 Leaks Persist

What adds to the tension is that new videos continue to surface even as the legal battle has begun. The leaked content is partly undermining Rockstar's traditionally extremely strict secrecy strategy regarding GTA 6.

Cyberleek previously claimed that the leaks were intended to protest certain commercial policies in the gaming industry. However, the group is also suspected of exploiting the attention around GTA 6 to promote a cryptocurrency project, causing the community to question their true motives.

With Take-Two having brought both Microsoft and Discord into the fold, the hunt for Cyberleek is entering a much more serious phase. If the data provided is sufficient to link online accounts to real identities, those behind the series of GTA 6 leaks may soon face legal consequences.