- Gameplay footage of GTA VI was leaked by a hacker upset with Rockstar's digital-only release plan
- Leaks showed the game’s map set in Leonida, a state based on Florida, larger than GTA V's map
- Gameplay featured protagonist Jason Duvall, updated basketball minigame, and six-star wanted level
Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI), which is commonly regarded as one of the most anticipated video games of all time, recently had its gameplay footage allegedly leaked before its release by a hacker going by the handle 'Cyberleek'. The aforementioned individual expressed grievances regarding how the game's publisher Rockstar Games had handled its pre-orders.
This was especially the case with regards to their decision to not have a physical release for the game, opting for a digital-only option, with the game case containing a code to download the game from the internet.
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The leaks consisted of the game's map, displaying the geography of the state of Leonida (which is where the game is set). It also featured footage depicting open-world gameplay with Jason Duvall, one of the game's two playable protagonists, and seemed to be from an earlier build of the game.
Online commenters remarked that Rockstar's parent company Take-Two had been issuing takedowns of the footage, stating that these actions further validated their alleged legitimacy.
The leak comes roughly a week away from when Rockstar will premiere the 'Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look' on Netflix, its official website and its official YouTube account, set to release on Aug 27. The footage may likely spoil some of the details that the company wanted the promo to show off.
Gameplay Leak Details
The leaked gameplay depicted Jason Duvall, who makes up one half of the Bonnie and Clyde style couple at the centre of GTA VI's narrative premise. The story follows Jason and his partner Lucia Caminos as they navigate Leonida's underworld together as career criminals and lovers.
The gameplay clips spotlighted an updated version of the basketball minigame, which was first introduced in developer Rockstar North's 2004 release Grand Theft Auto San Andreas.
The first clip depicted Jason hunched over the balcony of the beach house depicted in the trailers before walking down to reveal a jet ski lift parked on the porch along with a basketball hoop with a corresponding basketball, which he picked up to start the basketball minigame.
The second clip featured unarmed combat and the game's police system, with GTA San Andreas's six-star wanted level making a likely return, which had the army show up to eliminate the player character if they caused too much mayhem and bloodshed.
This feature was discontinued in the subsequent two releases Grand Theft Auto IV and Grand Theft Auto V.
The second clip showed Jason driving around on an open road in a pickup truck playing pop music. The vehicle then crashed into a delivery truck.
An altercation ensued with an enraged delivery man stepping out of the delivery truck brandishing a wrench. In true GTA fashion, the player had Jason assault the hapless NPC into a lifeless existence.
This is when the iconic wanted level was activated depicting two stars marked in white contrasted with the remaining four which were translucent, seemingly confirming the return of the six star wanted level. The clip ended with Jason running towards a helicopter, possibly confirming that flying will also be a returning feature.
Map Leak Details
The map as per the leaks seems to be much bigger than its predecessor Grand Theft Auto V, whose map consisted of the city of Los Santos (based on the real-life US city of Los Angeles) along with some adjacent countryside areas.
Leonida, which is based on the US state Florida, is expected to feature the entire state with main counties consisting Lummox County, Leonard Country, Kelly County, Mariana County and Vice Dale County.
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This expansive geography seems similar to Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, which featured the titular state inspired by California. Players could visit the cities of Los Santos, Las Venturas (based on Las Vegas), San Fierro (based on San Francisco) along with rural and desert areas complete with their own parody of Area 51 within the game.
GTA VI seems to be going in a similar direction but with updated graphics that would likely make the map over three times bigger than their largest open world as depicted in San Andreas.
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