Take-Two Files Subpoenas Over Leaked GTA 6 Footage

Take-Two Interactive has initiated federal legal proceedings against Microsoft and Discord to unmask the individuals responsible for publishing leaked gameplay footage of the upcoming video game Grand Theft Auto 6.

The subpoenas, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), demand that Microsoft, Discord, and X turn over account records, IP addresses, and linked services related to user accounts suspected of sharing unauthorized assets. Take-Two's filing targets content hosted across several platforms, including a GitHub repository owned by Microsoft, as well as specific Discord servers.

According to court filings, the targeted material involves copyrighted property belonging to developer Rockstar Games, which includes "audiovisual content, artwork, images, dialogue, or other creative elements."

The legal escalation comes after a hacker group calling itself CyberLeek began distributing stolen gameplay clips online earlier this week while threatening to release additional footage daily. The group claimed to be acting in the interest of players to protest digital-only distribution models, though they simultaneously solicited cryptocurrency donations from viewers.

Take-Two's legal counsel detailed the severity of the intellectual property breach in a takedown notice issued to Discord:

"The reported post contains unauthorised, leaked gameplay footage from the unreleased game Grand Theft Auto 6. This material reproduces our Client's copyrighted, unreleased game assets and was published and distributed without any authorisation from the copyright holder. The content is presented as genuine leaked Grand Theft Auto 6 gameplay from Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., and its distribution constitutes unauthorised reproduction and public disclosure of our Client's copyrighted work."

Platform operators have confirmed their compliance with the court orders. A Discord spokesperson addressed the matter, saying:

"Discord sometimes receives subpoenas related to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). We review and comply with valid subpoenas when we receive them, as is standard and routine for companies like ours."

Additionally, Scott Van Vliet, Chief Technology Officer for Microsoft's Xbox division, posted a public statement on X affirming corporate cooperation:

"We are working closely with Take-Two and Rockstar Games to support efforts to protect creative works and intellectual property."

The leaks emerged shortly before Rockstar's scheduled "extended look" at the title, set to broadcast on Netflix on August 27th prior to wider distribution on YouTube. While former Rockstar technical director Obbe Vermeij and industry analysts suggest the unauthorized leaks will do little to dampen long-term commercial interest, developer teams face ongoing disappointment over the disruption. Grand Theft Auto 6 remains scheduled for global release on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.