Hacker who leaked GTA 6 gameplay goes on trial 10 days before release date

While Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar search for Cyberleek, a UK court has set a trial date for another harasser. In 2022, Arion Kurtaj was the source of GTA 6 leaks, including gameplay videos from an early build. After a judge declared him unfit to face charges related to the security breach, proceedings will begin 10 days ahead of the release date.

GTAVice.net discovered the date in a LinkedIn post by barristers representing Kurtaj. Red Lion Chambers said the case is scheduled to start on November 9th at Woolwich Crown Court. Most fans will likely be more focused on Rockstar’s crime adventure, which launches on November 19th.

A brazen hack

The September 2022 security breach made news after the hacker executed the attack from a hotel room. Released on bail following earlier offenses, he accessed the studio’s servers using a smartphone and an Amazon Fire Stick. Before the first official trailer premiered in late 2023, videos that were part of the GTA 6 leaks gave players their first glimpse of the game.

A member of the Lapsus$ hacking group, Kurtaj claimed to have acquired source code, but no build ever surfaced online. Beyond the Rockstar incident, he is also accused of cyberattacks against companies such as Nvidia and Uber.

In 2023, a UK court confined Kurtaj to a psychiatric hospital before reportedly moving him to a prison in 2026. Now, barring any postponements, the justice system will finally judge his guilt or innocence. Meanwhile, developers are in final preparations for the long-awaited GTA 6 release date.

Attacks across multiple fronts

The studio didn’t attribute the previous two delays to the security breach. Still, it’s also contending with Cyberleek, who has returned to spread more GTA 6 leaks. If that’s not enough, authorities recently arrested two ShinyHunters members. The hacking organization allegedly stole analytics data linked to GTA Online and Red Dead Online.

At this point, Cyberleek’s gameplay clips may only aim to disrupt Rockstar’s marketing plans. Nevertheless, combined with other legal action, they are distractions the company had hoped to avoid.