Rockstar Games and parent company Take-Two remain unable to pinpoint who is behind the ongoing wave of GTA 6 leaks, according to new reporting from Bloomberg's Jason Schreier. Sources close to the situation say the studio hasn't just failed to identify the leaker known as "cyberleek" — it also doesn't fully understand how the leaks are happening in the first place.

A Company in Damage Control

The report lands just as GTA fans grow increasingly sympathetic to Rockstar's staff, who've now watched a wave of unauthorized gameplay footage undercut their marketing plans for a second time. Sources describe the mood inside the studio as "all hands on deck," with leadership sending a company-wide email this week addressing the situation directly. According to Schreier's sources, executives told staff that the leaks would not overshadow the "excellent work" put into the game so far — and that development, while not finished, is "getting close."

Emotions inside the building are reportedly running high. Sources describe both developers and leadership as angry, frustrated, and exhausted — a particularly bitter pill given that this leak arrived after Rockstar had already tightened its internal security measures following earlier incidents.

No Timeline Changes — For Now

Despite the pressure, Rockstar isn't blinking. There's been fan speculation that the studio might move up next week's extended gameplay reveal to get ahead of further leaks, but Schreier's sources say that's not the plan. The extended look is still set to premiere on August 27th as originally scheduled, and the wider marketing campaign isn't being altered either. It's full steam ahead, leaks or no leaks.

That steady-course approach lines up with what we've reported previously: Take-Two has already taken the legal route, subpoenaing both Discord and Microsoft in an effort to unmask cyberleek's identity. So far, that effort hasn't produced a name — and per this latest report, Rockstar doesn't even have a clear picture of the leak's origin point within its own pipeline.

What's Next

With the extended look just days away, and cyberleek having already put out multiple gameplay leaks in recent weeks, there's a real chance more footage surfaces before Rockstar gets to reveal anything on its own terms. We'll keep tracking this story as it develops.

The wave of GTA 6 gameplay leaks that has been rolling out over the past several weeks has now moved from social media into federal court. With a sixth leaked clip — a lengthy look at supercar driving through Vice City — landing just today, Take-Two Interactive has escalated its search for the source, filing subpoenas demanding that Microsoft and Discord hand over identifying records tied to the leaker.

Kotaku was first to report on the filings, submitted at the federal district court level in the Southern District of New York. The subpoenas target both companies because the individual or individuals behind the leaks are believed to have used Xbox and Discord accounts in the process of obtaining and distributing the material.

In its filing, Take-Two's legal team describes the scope of what's been compromised in broad terms, stating that the copyrighted material at issue includes audiovisual content, artwork, images, dialogue, and other creative elements. The publisher has submitted a sworn declaration affirming that the subpoenas are meant solely to identify the alleged infringer(s) and that any information obtained will be used only to protect Take-Two's rights.

What Take-Two is asking Microsoft for

Microsoft has been given until September 4 — a two-week window — to turn over all internal business and investigative records tied to its own probe into a persona known as "cyberleek." Take-Two wants those records to be sufficient to identify the actual user or users, and any associated individuals or entities, behind that account.

What Take-Two is asking Discord for

Discord faces the same September 4 deadline. Take-Two has requested identifying information for every account that was a member of a specific list of Discord servers between June 1, 2026 and the present, along with associated device and telemetry data for any accounts where particular tool or file artifacts were detected.

Specifically, for each account Discord identifies, Take-Two is asking for the account ID, registration email, registration and last-login IP addresses, phone number, any linked accounts such as Google or Xbox, associated device identifiers, and any GTA-, Rockstar-, or Cyberleek-related content pulled from that user's OneDrive.

The servers and usernames named in the filing are:

• CYBERLEEK

• CINEMATICROCKSTAR

• Surfer24k™

• cyberleek_west

• surwest

• Ødyssey.gg

• Odyssey (discord.gg/odyssey)

• DarkViperAU editors (discord.gg/darkviperau)

DarkViper pushes back on being linked

The inclusion of a server tied to YouTuber DarkViperAU's editing team prompted a swift denial from the content creator himself. Posting on X, DarkViper said he has no knowledge of the leaks and that the server named in the filing isn't actually his editors' Discord, adding that neither of his Discord servers contain any clips from the leaks.

DarkViper offered a theory as to why he may have been pulled into the situation at all: he's speculated that the leaker joined one of his Discords after he repeatedly commented that the person behind "Cyberleek" can't drive. That taunt appears to have stuck — the leaker later scrawled "Cyberleek can't drive" onto the latest leaked clip.

With more gameplay leaks apparently still to come and a legal paper trail now underway, this is shaping up to be a drawn-out fight. We'll continue tracking developments as they emerge.

The past week has been chaotic for anyone trying to avoid Grand Theft Auto VI spoilers. Following the wave of gameplay footage attributed to the leaker known as Cyberleek — which has already exposed the game's full map, its weapon wheel, taunt mechanics, and NPC combat — attention has now turned to something a little less dramatic but arguably just as exciting for longtime fans: the radio.

Vehicles in the leaked clips have been caught playing unannounced songs, and a separate leak specifically showed off the in-game radio menu, revealing several station names for the first time. Here's a complete rundown of everything confirmed about GTA 6's soundtrack so far, combining what's surfaced in the recent leaks with what Rockstar had already officially confirmed through the game's first two trailers.

Songs pulled from the leaked gameplay

The freshest additions to the tracklist come straight from vehicle radios caught on camera during the recent leaks:

• "For What It's Worth" – Stevie Nicks

• Symphony No. 5, III. Allegro Molto – Sibelius

• "Overpowered" – Róisín Murphy

• "Sports Car" – Tate McRae

• "Rhinestone Cowboy" – Glen Campbell

• "Impact" – SG Lewis, Robyn & Channel Tres

• "Get It Poppin'" – Fat Joe ft. Nelly

It's a mix that says a lot about the tone Rockstar seems to be going for with Leonida's airwaves — classic rock and country staples sitting alongside recent pop and dance cuts, plus at least one classical piece, suggesting a station dedicated to orchestral music.

What we already knew from the trailers

Before any of this leaked, Rockstar had already confirmed a handful of songs through GTA 6's first two trailers:

• "Love Is a Long Road" – Tom Petty

• "Talkin' to Myself Again" – Tammy Wynette

• "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" – Joan Jett

• "Hot Together" – The Pointer Sisters

• "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" – Wang Chung

• "Thunder Island" – Jay Ferguson

• "Child Support" – Zenglen

The radio stations revealed so far

The bigger discovery might be the station names themselves. A separate leak showed off the actual radio menu in-game, and it confirmed that CircoLoco Records — the electronic music brand behind the Ibiza club night — has its own dedicated station in GTA 6. The stations spotted so far are:

• Circoloco Records Radio

• Dirty South Classics

• Honey FM

• Back Country Radio

• Emotion

• ON.U

• Stockyard FM

• Symphony FM

• V-Rock

Between the names alone, it's already possible to sketch out a rough picture of Leonida's radio dial: Dirty South Classics and Stockyard FM point toward hip-hop and country leanings respectively, Symphony FM likely houses that Sibelius track, and V-Rock looks like a spiritual successor to the rock stations that have anchored past GTA soundtracks.

Nothing here is official yet — this is all still leak territory, not a Rockstar announcement — but with the list growing by the day, it's becoming one of the clearer pictures we have of what GTA 6 will actually sound like at launch. Expect this list to keep expanding as more footage surfaces.

A group of former Rockstar Games developers currently locked in a legal battle with the studio has a message for players weighing whether to skip GTA 6 in protest: don't.

In a video released through the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB), several of the more than 30 developers dismissed from Rockstar last October laid out exactly how they'd like fans to show support — and boycotting the biggest game of the year isn't on the list.

"We're going to make this easy for you," the fired workers say in the video. "Don't boycott GTA 6. Win justice for the people who helped make it."

"We Poured Years of Our Lives Into This"

The dismissed developers say they spent years on GTA 6 before being let go, and they don't want that work — or the game itself — to become collateral damage in their fight with Rockstar.

Jack Hoxby, an IWGB Game Workers branch member and one of the terminated employees, put it plainly: they poured years of their lives into helping build the game, and they don't want fans turning away from it. What they want instead is help fighting for justice.

The group has been explicit that the request isn't a pass for Rockstar. "That doesn't mean we want you to let Rockstar off the hook," the developers said, pointing fans toward other ways to back their cause — including buying branded merchandise that helps fund the union's legal costs.

The Backstory

The dispute traces back to October 2025, when Rockstar abruptly dismissed more than 30 staff members who had been organizing and unionizing at the studio. The fired workers and the IWGB have called it one of the most blatant acts of union-busting in the games industry's history, alleging they were dismissed without warning, representation, or any real chance to respond to the accusations against them.

Rockstar and parent company Take-Two have told a different story, maintaining that the terminations were the result of "gross misconduct" — specifically, leaking confidential company information in a public forum — and denying that union activity had anything to do with the firings.

The fallout has included protests outside Rockstar's Edinburgh studio and Take-Two's London office, alongside a separate push by current Rockstar employees seeking formal union recognition and an end to crunch-heavy development cycles.

Legally, the fired workers have already scored a win: a preliminary UK tribunal ruled they can bring their "blacklisting" allegations — accusing Rockstar of compiling and acting on information about workers' union involvement — to a full trial. That trial is set to begin September 10, just over two months before GTA 6 launches on November 19.

Why Not Call for a Boycott?

For a group suing its former employer over its treatment of workers, urging people to buy that employer's flagship product might seem counterintuitive. But the developers' logic is straightforward: the game itself is the product of their labor, and they don't want their fight with management to cost them credit for work they're proud of — or to be the reason fans miss out on a game some are already calling one of the most anticipated releases in entertainment history.

It's also a practical calculation. Preorder numbers suggest a boycott movement, even a well-intentioned one, was never likely to make much of a dent — GTA 6 has already racked up enormous preorder demand ahead of launch. Rather than fight that tide, the fired developers are redirecting fan energy toward something that could actually move the needle: public pressure and financial support ahead of a trial that will decide whether Rockstar's version of events holds up in court.

With the September 10 hearing now less than a month out — and GTA 6 arriving on PS5 and Xbox just over two months later — the case is shaping up to run in parallel with the biggest marketing push of Rockstar's history, keeping the labor dispute in the headlines right alongside the game itself.

A fresh wave of leaked Grand Theft Auto VI footage has surfaced, this time offering the clearest look yet at flying and the game's revamped radio interface — two systems Rockstar has kept almost entirely under wraps until now.

The clip is the latest in an ongoing string of leaks tied to a single source who has been drip-feeding gameplay footage over the past several days. Earlier videos from the same leaker covered driving, combat, the weapon wheel, and a snippet of cutscene footage. The person behind the leaks has claimed their goal is to punish Sony and Rockstar over the decision to ship GTA VI without a physical disc option, though they've also been promoting a memecoin alongside the leaks — a detail that has drawn plenty of skepticism about their real motives.

Soaring Over Leonida

The new footage runs just over two minutes and opens mid-flight, with protagonist Jason piloting a blue-and-yellow biplane over swampland on approach to Vice City. Set in the middle of the day with a cinematic camera angle enabled, the clip shows off a striking draw distance and a level of visual fidelity that reportedly calls to mind Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 more than anything in GTA V. A new volumetric cloud system is visible throughout the flight, and while some vehicle pop-in is noticeable on the highways below, it's worth noting the footage is believed to be roughly a year old.

A New Way to Change the Tune

About 54 seconds in, the leak shifts focus to the radio menu — and it's a clear departure from the classic GTA wheel. Instead, stations are laid out as square icons across the top of the screen, alongside an option to mute the radio entirely. There's also a new "on demand" mode that appears to function like real-world music streaming, letting players pick specific tracks rather than flipping between stations.

Stations and songs spotted in the footage include:

• Circoloco Records Radio

• Dirty South Classics

• Honey FM

• Back Country Radio — "Rhinestone Cowboy" by Glen Campbell

• Emotion

• DNU

• Stockyard FM — "Overpowered" by Róisín Murphy

• Symphony FM — Symphony No. 5, III. Allegro Molto by Sibelius

• V-Rock — "For What It's Worth" by Stevie Nicks

A Message Left Behind

The clip closes with Jason back on the ground, firing a rifle into a wall — an act that triggers a police response in-game. The bullet holes spell out the word "Leek," an apparent signature from whoever captured the footage, and further confirmation that they're working from an actual build of the game. Given the scope of what's already leaked, this could end up being one of the most damaging breaches Rockstar has dealt with throughout GTA VI's development.

The leak arrives as backlash continues to build against the leaker over their stated motives, with parts of the community pushing back on the memecoin promotion tied to the footage.

The US Army has found an unusual new way to sweeten the deal for soldiers weighing whether to sign back up: a few extra days off timed to the release of Grand Theft Auto VI.

According to a CBS News report, an internal Army memo confirms that any soldier who signs a reenlistment contract between August 1 and November 14, 2026 will receive a "special four-day pass" coinciding with GTA 6's launch. The catch is a familiar one — committing to a minimum of two years of additional service, with the option to extend up to six.

For now, the offer is limited to a single unit: the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion, stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia. Reports suggest the program could be rolled out more broadly if it proves effective at boosting reenlistment numbers, potentially expanding nationwide.

It's a strategy built on a simple bet — that dangling a marquee entertainment release in front of soldiers might succeed where more traditional incentives haven't. And early numbers suggest it isn't just a gimmick without results. Lt. Col. Angel Tomko, a spokesperson for the division, told CBS News that 20 of the 130 eligible soldiers at the Georgia battalion have already taken the Army up on the offer.

Tomko framed the program as an attempt to meet soldiers where their interests actually are, rather than relying solely on standard reenlistment bonuses. The idea, according to Tomko, was to build an incentives program tied to what soldiers are genuinely excited about, with the command team and career counselors working together to make reenlistment more appealing.

Whether or not four days of open-world crime spree is enough to offset years of additional commitment is, understandably, going to be a personal calculation for every soldier considering it. But the fact that the offer exists — and that it's already found takers — says something about just how significant GTA 6's release is shaping up to be, reaching well beyond the gaming world and into recruitment strategy for the US military.

If the Fort Stewart trial continues to move the needle, don't be surprised if similar "GTA 6 leave" incentives start popping up at bases across the country in the run-up to launch.

New details have surfaced about a secretive GTA 6 preview event that Rockstar Games apparently held for select media, offering the clearest picture yet of how outlets got their first look at the game — and when the public can expect to hear about it.

The information follows a report earlier this week suggesting preview events had already quietly taken place, a claim that gained traction in the wake of the ongoing wave of GTA 6 gameplay leaks. To be clear, those leaked clips are unrelated to any official preview — they came from a separate, unauthorized source.

What We Know

According to a new report from Mp1st, a hands-off GTA 6 preview event took place sometime in July, meaning it happened at least three weeks ago. Mp1st has a strong reputation for accuracy on Rockstar-related reporting, lending weight to the claim.

Journalists and content creators who attended were reportedly shown the game but were not permitted to touch a controller. Their impressions are expected to go live alongside the premiere of the next extended trailer on Netflix, which is set to debut next week. RockstarINTEL notes it was not among the outlets invited to attend.

The details appear to have come from someone who was actually in the room. Notably, specifics of what was actually shown during the event were withheld — likely to protect the source from being identified by Rockstar.

Why This Preview Looks Different

Traditional game previews tend to follow a familiar format: journalists and creators travel to a developer's studio or a dedicated event space to spend a few hours playing hands-on, sometimes with permission to capture footage for their coverage. Rockstar has followed a version of this playbook before, flying press and community members out to its New York headquarters and other nearby locations for previous titles.

GTA 6, unsurprisingly, isn't getting the standard treatment. Since the pandemic, remote preview builds sent directly to journalists' homes have become increasingly common across the industry — convenient, but also more leak-prone. Given the game's profile and the recent string of unauthorized gameplay leaks, it's safe to assume Rockstar has locked this process down tightly.

That tight control comes with a trade-off. Written and video impressions can only tell you so much about how a game actually plays. Feel is something no amount of watching can substitute for — and until November, that's exactly the position everyone, journalists included, will be in.

The Bigger Picture

This news lands amid a turbulent stretch for GTA 6 coverage, with backlash building against the source behind the recent string of unauthorized gameplay leaks over their apparent motives. Combined with the upcoming Netflix trailer premiere and the wave of preview impressions expected to follow, the next week is shaping up to be one of the biggest news cycles yet for the game ahead of its November launch.

Rockstar Games has kicked off the closing chapter of its Brand Wars event in GTA Online, with a new weekly update running from August 20th through the 26th. The soda-fueled rivalry between Sprunk and eCola, which launched two weeks ago, now heads into its final stretch, bringing a fresh set of bonuses, discounts, and one last chance to cash in on the event's Twitch Drops promotion.

The Gallivanter Warden Goes Wide

After a week of GTA+ exclusivity, the Gallivanter Warden is now available to every player. It can be picked up from Legendary Motorsport for $1,597,500.

Brand Loyalty Still Pays

The core hook of Brand Wars remains in place for its second and final week. Players who link their Twitch and Rockstar Games accounts and watch qualifying Twitch Drops streams between August 13th and 26th can back either Team Sprunk or Team eCola. Sticking with a team through the full watch-time ladder unlocks a themed outfit, either the Sprunk Sweatsuit or the eCola Tracksuit, along with a share of GTA$2,000,000 split across both teams' rewards.

The catch is timing. Progress is tracked per-team and doesn't stack across multiple simultaneous streams, and any rewards left unclaimed when the campaign ends on the 26th are forfeited. Players sitting on unredeemed watch time should log in and claim before the window closes.

There's a smaller set of freebies attached to the same event, available simply by logging in: Sprunk and eCola bodysuits at any clothing store, and a free Declasse Hotring Sabre from Southern San Andreas Super Autos, complete with a Sprunk x eCola livery and branded plates.

This Week's Challenges and Bonuses

The second Brand Wars Weekly Challenge asks players to win three races between August 20th and 26th, rewarding the Princess Racing Tracksuit and GTA$250,000 on top of it. That follows last week's challenge, which asked for three completed Business Battles in exchange for the Impotent Rage Sweatsuit and a matching cash bonus.

Hotring Races continue to pay out at 4X GTA$ and RP through the end of the event, and select Odd Jobs, including Paper Route, Firefighter, Forklift Operator, Safeguard, and QuickiePharm deliveries, are still running triple rewards.

The standout bonus of the week lands on the weekend: from August 21st through the 23rd, VIP Work pays out at 5X GTA$ and RP, giving CEOs and VIPs a short, lucrative window to boost their business income.

Casino, Car Meet, and Test Rides

The Diamond Casino's Lucky Wheel is offering a shot at the Declasse Granger 3600LX this week, valued at $1,380,000 from Southern San Andreas Super Autos. GTA+ members get two spins every 24 hours instead of one.

Over at the LS Car Meet, placing in the top three of a race two days running unlocks the Enus Paragon R as a Prize Ride, available afterward for $905,000 from Legendary Motorsport.

This week's Premium Test Ride is the Pfister Astron Custom, available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC Enhanced. The Test Track lineup includes the Pfister Comet S2, Dinka Veto Modern, and Western Reever.

Discounts and Dealership Stock

With the event shifting its focus for its second half, Bail Offices and their upgrades are now 40% off, taking over from the discounted Car Wash businesses of week one. A run of vehicles remains discounted as well, including the Overflod Autarch, Pegassi Osiris, Progen GP1, and Benefactor Stirling GT, all reduced by 30%.

At the Gun Van, the Battle Rifle is half price this week, following the free Unholy Hellbringer giveaway from the event's opening days.

Rockford Hills' Luxury Autos dealership is showing off two liveried variants of the Declasse Scramjet this week, one with the Impotent Rage design and the other featuring Prince branding, for players looking to round out a themed garage before Brand Wars wraps on August 26th.

The leaker known as Cyberleek isn't slowing down. In the span of roughly 48 hours, four separate clips of GTA 6 gameplay have made their way online, and the latest one is the most substantial yet — a two-minute-24-second stretch of raw footage that finally gives fans a proper look at the game's weapon wheel.

What's in the Clip

The video opens with Jason walking down a road as the sun sets, before he kicks a police officer off a motorcycle and steals it. From there, whoever captured the footage pulls up the weapon wheel, which splits into two separate wheels — one for weapons, one for items — echoing the structure Rockstar used in Red Dead Redemption 2 rather than the single sprawling wheel from GTA V. A money counter sits in the top-right corner, and it looks like anything pulled up in the wheel can also be dropped on the spot.

After stabbing the officer and making off with the bike, Jason speeds down the road with sirens blaring, eventually losing control and crashing into a canal. He climbs out and approaches a group of homeless NPCs, eavesdropping on their conversation — until one of them notices, shoves him, and a fight breaks out. Jason slaps back, a wanted alert flashes on screen warning that police now have a description of his clothes, face, and car, and the NPC starts slashing at him. What follows is grim: Jason pulls his hunting knife and kills several of the encampment's residents. As with the third leaked clip, the scene closes on a cutscene featuring Jason and Cal.

How It Fits With the Other Leaks

This is the fourth clip attributed to Cyberleek in two days, and taken together, the leaks have already given the internet a surprisingly detailed inventory of GTA 6's mechanics: an eight-slot weapon wheel, two healing items (a "Zombix" pill and an EpiPen), a Red Dead-style Greet/Antagonize taunt system for interacting with NPCs, body looting, a returning "Crime Reported" mechanic that lets bystanders phone in Jason's crimes, and a six-star wanted system. Several outlets have also pointed out a detail that helps date the footage — the song playing over one of the clips is Tate McRae's "Sports Car," which came out in early 2025, suggesting this build is relatively recent rather than ancient pre-production footage.

Copyright takedowns have been hitting the reuploads almost as fast as they spread, which — as several outlets covering the leaks have noted — is itself being read as a signal that Take-Two considers the footage genuine and wants it gone.

The Bigger Picture

The leaks have also stirred controversy over the leaker's stated motives, which have been tied to a broader anti-digital-only-release stance, and consumer advocacy group Stop Killing Games has publicly distanced itself from the leaks. With Rockstar's own "Extended Look" trailer still roughly a week out on Netflix, the fact that Cyberleek appears to be working from an actual playable build raises the uncomfortable possibility of further leaks — including, potentially, story and ending content — before Rockstar gets to reveal anything on its own terms.

Rockstar has not commented on the leaks.

Grand Theft Auto VI is once again at the center of conflicting claims, this time over whether Rockstar Games is quietly running preview sessions for the game right now.

The speculation comes hot on the heels of last night's gameplay leak, in which unauthorized GTA 6 footage and map details spread across the internet. To be clear: the preview claims are a separate story entirely, and are not connected to whoever leaked that footage.

What's Being Claimed

Tom Henderson of Insider Gaming, a reporter widely regarded as one of the most reliable voices in games journalism, says he understands that "previews of GTA 6 are underway." The working theory is that this ties into Rockstar's rumored Netflix-first extended look at the game, though that link hasn't been confirmed.

Henderson also pointed to a curious pattern: several gaming outlets and content creators have gone conspicuously quiet since the leak broke. His read on the silence is that some of them may already have hands-on access to GTA VI, and are choosing not to comment publicly for fear of damaging their relationship with Rockstar.

The Pushback

Not everyone is buying it. Leaker NateTheHate, whose track record on GTA-related information has proven remarkably accurate over time, dismissed the preview claim on ResetEra, arguing that unless a brand-new round of previews has started, the report doesn't hold up.

The disagreement may come down to timing rather than substance. The footage that leaked this week is reportedly over a year old, and Insider Gaming's report seems to have questioned whether that specific footage originated from a preview event — not necessarily whether previews are happening at all. If that's the case, it's possible Henderson's comments were read as a broader claim than intended.

Reading between the lines of Nate's response, it's a fair bet that press and possibly select content creators have already gotten hands-on time with GTA VI at some point — even if a fresh preview cycle isn't actively happening this week.

The Bigger Picture

This is just the latest thread in a chaotic stretch of GTA 6 news. The leaker behind this week's gameplay and map leak is already facing scrutiny over their motives, adding another layer of controversy to an already turbulent few days for Rockstar's most anticipated release.

As always, nothing here is officially confirmed by Rockstar Games. Until the studio or Take-Two weighs in directly, both the preview claims and the skepticism around them remain exactly that: claims.

The HVY Nightshark has always been one of GTA Online's most over-the-top armored trucks, but soon it won't just exist in Los Santos. Dartz Motorz, the Latvian manufacturer whose Black Shark SUV originally inspired Rockstar's in-game vehicle, is now building a full-scale, drivable version of the Nightshark itself — and someone has paid seven figures to make it happen.

From Real Car to Game to Real Car Again

The Nightshark arrived in GTA Online back in 2017 as part of the Gunrunning update, styled after Dartz's own Black Shark. Nearly a decade later, the inspiration has come full circle: a confidential private client has commissioned Dartz to build a one-to-one replica of the in-game Nightshark, this time as a genuine, road-legal vehicle rather than a design homage.

According to a press release sent to RockstarINTEL, the client paid $1 million for the build. The finished car is scheduled to debut publicly in Miami in November 2026 — deliberately timed to coincide with the release of GTA 6.

Reveal Set for GTA 6 Launch Week

Dartz says the car is currently in its final production stages, which is why no photos have been released yet. Until the November unveiling, details including the car's finished exterior, official name, full technical specifications, interior features, and the identity of the client commissioning it are all being kept under wraps.

Dartz has been explicit that this isn't a fan-made replica or a static prop for photos — it's an independently commissioned, fully functional vehicle built to be driven.

Dartz founder Leonard Yankelovich framed the project as a full-circle moment for the company, saying Rockstar's use of the Nightshark's design was taken as a compliment — one that has now returned to Dartz's home base in Riga with a serious budget behind it. He added that while the in-game version could be treated as disposable, this real-world build has to be done right, since the client is only getting one car.

Not the First Time GTA Has Jumped Off the Screen

This isn't the first time a GTA vehicle has made the leap into reality. Around the launch of GTA V, Rockstar worked with West Coast Customs to build a real-life version of the Bravado Banshee. That car later ended up in the hands of a 56-year-old winner, who eventually sold it.

With GTA 6 now on the horizon, the Nightshark replica adds another real-world tie-in to the run-up to launch — and, notably, one that exists entirely outside Rockstar's own marketing push.

What started on August 18 as a scattering of leaked Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay clips has spiraled into something closer to a corporate extortion attempt, with the group behind the breach now threatening to keep dumping footage until Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive meet a list of demands.

How the leak started

The trouble began when a site calling itself Cyberleek began posting gameplay footage and a purported full map of GTA 6 online. The clips spread fast: one showed protagonist Jason shooting hoops in his backyard, complete with a mysterious "Focus" stat tick that doesn't exist in GTA V, while another showed a highway confrontation that escalated into a Red Dead Redemption II-style brawl after a car rammed into a van.

Within hours, reuploads across social media were getting hit with DMCA takedown notices, which most outlets covering the story took as a strong signal that Take-Two considers the footage genuine. Complicating things further, a wave of AI-generated fakes and recycled old clips got mixed in with the real material almost immediately, making it hard for fans to tell what's authentic and what isn't. Some reporting suggests the footage may trace back to a build as old as 2023, so it's unclear how much of what's circulating still reflects the finished game.

The leak turns into a shakedown

What separates this incident from the routine leaks that have dogged GTA 6's rollout is what came next: a manifesto. Cyberleek followed up the initial dump with a set of three "commandments" addressed to Rockstar, Take-Two, and the industry at large, framing the leaks as retaliation rather than simple theft.

The group's grievances center on pre-orders for digital games sold before release or reviews exist, "fake" single-player DLC they say is already sitting locked inside the game files, and a demand that publishers build in an offline fallback mode for single-player titles. Cyberleek has said it will keep releasing footage — reportedly on a daily basis — until those demands are addressed, and has explicitly widened the threat beyond Rockstar: "If CyberLeek can reach Rockstar, no one is safe... behave, or be the next target."

Adding a stranger wrinkle, Cyberleek also appears to be running a cryptocurrency token alongside the leaks, soliciting funding through it even as the coin's value has reportedly dropped sharply since the leak began — a detail that's led several outlets to question how much of this is genuine consumer protest and how much is opportunistic grift.

A cause fans agree with, wrapped in a method most don't

The irony many are pointing out: Cyberleek's underlying complaints — opposition to pre-release digital purchases and hidden day-one DLC — are arguments plenty of GTA 6 fans and consumer advocates have been making for months, particularly amid the backlash over the game's disc-free physical release. But by pairing those arguments with theft, extortion threats, and a crypto side hustle, the group has made it easy for Rockstar and Take-Two to simply ignore the message while the industry treats this as a security incident rather than a policy debate. Notably, the Stop Killing Games movement — which shares some of Cyberleek's stated concerns about game preservation — has publicly distanced itself from the group.

What happens now

Rockstar hasn't issued any official comment on the leak or the demands. The company's next scheduled move is unrelated on paper but conveniently timed: the first official gameplay reveal, an "Extended Look" premiering on Netflix on August 27. There's some speculation that Rockstar could move up footage or messaging to get ahead of further leaks, similar to how it responded to a past trailer leak by releasing the full trailer early — but nothing has been confirmed.

For now, GTA 6 remains on track for its November 19 launch on PS5 and Xbox, and the question hanging over the next several days is simple: will Cyberleek actually follow through on daily leaks, or was this week's dump the extent of what they have?

A sprawling new leak is tearing through GTA forums and social media tonight, reportedly exposing Grand Theft Auto VI's complete in-game map alongside two clips of unreleased gameplay footage. If verified, it would mark the most significant breach of Rockstar's security since the infamous 2022 leak that upended the game's development cycle.

The material is being attributed to a group calling itself Cyberleak, which claims to be acting in the name of "gamers' rights." Alongside the map, the group posted footage showing protagonist Jason driving vehicles, getting into a violent altercation, and generally going about Vice City life.

According to a claim circulating from the account Videotech on X, the leak is tied to frustration over Rockstar's decision to release GTA VI as a digital-only title with no physical disc option — a move that lines up with Sony's plans to phase out disc production entirely by 2028. Whether or not that's the real motive, Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive have reportedly moved quickly to issue copyright strikes against posts sharing the material across social platforms — a response many are pointing to as unofficial confirmation that the leak is legitimate.

The map

The leaked map reportedly lays out five counties across the state of Leonida: Lummox, Kelly, Leonard, Vice Dale, and Mariana. Vice City itself anchors one side of the map as the single major metropolis, with the Leonida Keys stretching along the southern edge. The rest of the map is said to blend a healthy mix of smaller towns, beaches, and dense greenery, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Leonida, and a southern body of water named the Leonida Straits.

Early reactions suggest the map strikes a deliberate balance between urban density and open, undeveloped terrain — a layout consistent with what fans have anticipated based on prior teases of the state.

The gameplay clips

Two videos reportedly accompany the map leak. Metadata examined by users on GTA Forums suggests both clips date back to 2023, meaning the footage — while still impressive by current standards — reflects a build that's roughly three years old at this point.

The first clip, running about a minute and five seconds, shows Jason cruising a highway populated with a wide variety of traffic, including police cruisers, fire trucks, and bicycles, while the radio plays SG Lewis, Robyn, and Channel Tres' "Impact." The footage escalates when Jason crashes into a van, beats the driver to death with a pipe wrench in front of a witnessing officer, and picks up a two-star wanted level that triggers a police chase, complete with the map's now-familiar flashing red-and-blue overlay.

A few gameplay details stand out from the clip. The HUD reportedly displays a vehicle's fuel level and engine condition — a system that may or may not survive into the final release. During the chase, the wanted-level display appears to show police actively tracking Jason's vehicle, outfit, and physical appearance, hinting that changing clothes or cars could become a legitimate strategy for shaking a wanted level once it's lost. The clip also shows an ambulance and an air ambulance branded under an in-game healthcare provider called Fast Pass EMS.

The second video, roughly 55 seconds long, is far lower-key: it shows Jason at his house shooting hoops on a basketball court, seemingly confirming basketball as a playable activity for the first time.

What's next

RockstarINTEL says it won't be hosting the leaked map image or gameplay clips directly to avoid copyright issues, though both are said to be circulating widely enough to find with a quick search. For those hoping to avoid spoilers altogether, the outlet notes that Rockstar's next official look at the game — the "Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look" trailer — is set to premiere on August 27, 2026.

NoPixel is bringing its fifth iteration to the Rockstar Games Launcher — but not in the way many hopeful players were expecting.

Server owner and lead developer Koil confirmed the news in an announcement on NoPixel's official Discord, first spotted by content creator Tex2. According to Koil, "nopixel V will be available in Closed Beta to select participants on the Rockstar Games Launcher" starting September 8, the same day the new server goes live. He described the integration as "a big step for the Grand Theft Auto Roleplay community," adding that it "took a full rebuild of nopixel to get here."

The September 8 date and accompanying launch trailer were revealed earlier this week, but Koil's Discord post is the first confirmation of how the Rockstar Games Launcher integration will actually work at launch — and it's not the open floodgate some fans were hoping for.

Invites Rolling Out in Phases

Rather than a full public release, access to NoPixel V will be doled out gradually. Koil explained that invitations will arrive in waves: "While the first phase of invites is nearly complete, it's just the first group. If you haven't received an invite yet, you haven't been ruled out." He added that additional phases will follow over time, with updates posted in the Discord server as they roll out.

The reasoning behind the staggered, invite-only approach appears to be a deliberate "reset" of NoPixel's notoriously competitive whitelist system, which has long been a barrier — and a talking point — for players trying to break into the server.

Importantly, the launch of NoPixel V won't affect the servers that already exist. Koil confirmed that both NoPixel Public and NoPixel 4.0 will remain active and fully supported, so current players on those servers won't be losing access to anything.

A Mixed Reaction From the Community

The news has landed with some disappointment among fans. Many had assumed that landing a slot on the official Rockstar Games Launcher would coincide with NoPixel finally opening its doors more widely. Instead, at least for now, the server remains firmly invite-only — just with a new, more official home.

Whether the closed beta expands quickly or stays tightly gated in the weeks after September 8 remains to be seen. For now, hopeful roleplayers will need to keep an eye on NoPixel's Discord for word on the next wave of invites.

Rockstar Games has pushed out another behind-the-scenes update to GTA Online, and this time the focus is squarely on cheaters. Following weeks of patches aimed at squashing bugs tied to The Kortz Center Heist finale, the studio has shifted its attention to closing off a batch of exploits that players have been using to dupe money and dodge death entirely.

A Server-Side Fix, No Download Required

As is typical for these kinds of updates, players won't need to download anything to get the changes. Rockstar's background updates are applied server-side, meaning the fixes are already live the next time you boot into a session. It's a routine part of the post-launch cycle for any major GTA Online content drop, and this summer's DLC has been no exception — Rockstar has been steadily chipping away at issues since Kortz Center went live.

What Actually Changed

The patch notes, shared by longtime Rockstar data-miner Tez2, confirm the update targets a handful of cheating-related exploits alongside some quality-of-life fixes. Among the confirmed changes:

• A fix for the "Help Tom Connors or English Dave with a DJ request" Career Progress challenge, which previously wouldn't register as complete even when players met all the requirements.

• A fix preventing players from applying the Mansion Business Production Boost to a different business once the original boost had already expired.

Beyond those specifics, Rockstar has used this update to clamp down on the money and god mode glitches that had been circulating since the DLC's launch — a pattern familiar to anyone who's followed these background patches over the years. Exploits like these tend to spread fast once they hit YouTube and Discord, so the quicker turnaround helps keep the in-game economy and PvP encounters from getting too skewed.

More Patches Likely on the Way

Rockstar has leaned heavily on these silent updates over the past week or so, and there's a good chance more are coming as the studio continues to iron out issues stemming from the Kortz Center Heist update. Players who've been holding off on diving back into heists or freemode because of griefers exploiting invincibility should see a noticeably cleaner experience — at least until the next exploit inevitably surfaces.

Stay tuned for more coverage as additional background updates roll out in the coming days.

Turns out Rockstar's premium pre-order push isn't just outperforming expectations — it's dominating them.

Last week, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick revealed that GTA 6's $100 Ultimate Edition was outselling the standard $80 version, a claim that raised eyebrows even without hard numbers attached. Now a fresh report puts a figure to it, and the scale is bigger than almost anyone predicted.

The Numbers

According to analytics firm Sensor Tower, cited by GamesIndustry.biz, 89% of all GTA 6 pre-orders are for the Ultimate Edition, leaving just 11% going toward the standard release. The split holds fairly steady across platforms — Sensor Tower found 90% of Xbox pre-orders went Ultimate, while on PlayStation the standard edition captured only 11.5% of buyers.

It's worth noting a few caveats: Ultimate Edition content can technically be bought separately from the base game, and premium editions traditionally perform best in the early pre-order window before tapering off. Still, the gap here is unusually wide.

How Unusual Is It?

Karl Kontus, SVP and GM of Video Game Insights at Sensor Tower, told GamesIndustry.biz that premium SKUs tend to lead pre-launch sales simply because the earliest buyers are a game's most dedicated fans. But even accounting for that, Kontus said he's never seen a split this lopsided — typically, premium editions account for just 10-20% of pre-launch sales, with 50% considered an exceptional outcome.

Industry norms would suggest the gap narrows as launch approaches, with a large wave of standard-edition purchases arriving in the final week before release, eventually settling closer to a 50/50 split. Whether that pattern holds for GTA 6 is another matter — as Kontus and virtually everyone else covering this launch keep noting, there's no real precedent for a game at this scale to compare it to.

What It Means for Total Sales

Sensor Tower's data points to roughly 4.3 million pre-orders so far. Extrapolated using standard industry sales trajectories, that could translate to around 40 million copies sold by launch day — north of $2 billion in revenue. Those projections come with a heavy asterisk, though, given how far outside historical norms GTA 6's pre-order behavior already sits.

Notably, this surge has happened before Rockstar's marketing campaign has really ramped up, with several months still to go before launch.

After a year of near-silence, NoPixel's long-awaited fifth iteration is close to launch. The team behind the popular GTA roleplay server confirmed this week that NoPixel V will go live on Tuesday, September 8, marking exactly one year since the project was first announced.

A Year in the Making

NoPixel Studios revealed development on the fifth version of its FiveM-based server back in September of last year, confirming it was being built in direct collaboration with Rockstar Games. Rockstar later backed that up, confirming it would support the NoPixel team's efforts — including bringing the server to additional PC platforms, among them the Rockstar Games Launcher itself. Since that initial announcement, updates have been sparse, with only a single progress update surfacing in the months since. Now, the server's official Twitter account has broken the silence with a concrete date, unveiling what it calls "the next evolution of GTA RP" built alongside Rockstar.

Trailer Drops a Week Early

Fans won't have to wait until launch day to get their first proper look. A launch trailer is set to premiere on the NoPixel website at 5pm BST on Tuesday, September 1 — a full week ahead of release. The site currently displays a countdown timer where the video will eventually appear.

What We Know So Far

Ahead of the trailer, NoPixel Studios has published a broad rundown of what players can expect, including:

• Design built specifically for the next generation of GTA roleplay

• New land, sea, and air traversal options

• Richly detailed new interiors and locations

• A refreshed city with greater depth and activity

• Graphical upgrades aimed at deeper player immersion

The site has also released several screenshots offering an early look at the new server.

Getting In Won't Be Easy

As with previous versions, access to NoPixel isn't a simple download-and-play affair. Prospective players must submit a whitelist application, a process that can take weeks to review and doesn't guarantee approval. Even accepted applicants then face a queue that can run long, and the server has historically accepted donations from users hoping to have their applications reviewed faster.

With the trailer just over two weeks away and launch following shortly after, NoPixel V is shaping up to be one of the more closely watched GTA RP releases in recent memory — especially given Rockstar's direct involvement.

Rockstar has kicked off a new GTA+ cycle, and Month 53 is now live for subscribers. Running from August 6th through September 9th, this month's lineup includes a free vehicle, a fresh paint job, member-only discounts, and the usual list of standing perks that come bundled with the $7.99 (£6.99 / €7.99) monthly subscription.

The Headline Freebie: Gallivanter Warden

The marquee giveaway this month is the Gallivanter Warden, handed out for free exclusively through The Vinewood Car Club. Members can claim it by visiting the Club, where it'll be flagged FREE for the duration of the promotion — outside of GTA+, the car normally runs well over a million GTA$ through Legendary Motorsport.

Alongside the free ride, subscribers get a livery unlock for the Declasse Tampa GT (the Los Santos Machine design) and two new Chameleon Paints — a Light Purple Pearl finish for both the body and wheels — claimable at any Auto Shop or Vehicle Workshop.

Free Clothing and Discounts

This month's wardrobe drop includes the Pink SN x PRB Bomber Zipped Jacket and the PRB Tee & Shorts, both free for GTA+ members.

On the discount side, subscribers can save:

• 60% off the Garment Factory

• 50% off Drift Tune Upgrades and Terrorbyte Bureau Tech

There are also GTA$ and RP multipliers running for the month: 3x on Drift Races, and 2x on both The FIB Files and Garment Factory Daily Income.

Standing GTA+ Benefits Still in Play

Beyond the monthly rotation, GTA+ continues to carry a long list of permanent perks:

• Extra aircraft storage — five additional slots on top of whatever the McKenzie Field Hangar provides, no hangar purchase required.

• The Vinewood Car Club — a members-only showroom offering test drives and a 20% purchase discount on a rotating vehicle lineup, which this month includes the Warden itself, the Pegassi Toreador in War Camo, the Truffade Thrax, the Annis Euros in Manga Classic livery, and several others.

• The Vinewood Car Club Garage — a 100-slot vehicle garage in Pillbox Hill, complete with its own in-garage customization workshop and an app for collecting business earnings remotely.

• Remote business management — GTA+ members can handle staffing and collect earnings from the Hangar, Warehouses, Bail Office, Arcade, Nightclub, and Hands-On Car Wash straight from their in-game phone.

• GTA+ Games Library — full access to GTA Online, the GTA Trilogy Definitive Edition, GTA V Story Mode, and a bundle of other Rockstar titles including Red Dead Redemption, L.A. Noire, and Bully, plus mobile ports of Liberty City Stories and Chinatown Wars.

• Double Lucky Wheel spins — two spins every 24 hours instead of one.

• Faster, free taxi service — free fast travel via Downtown Cab Co., with cooldowns cut from 48 minutes to just 5.

• Gun Van perks — a permanent map marker for the Gun Van plus extra discounts and exclusive weapon skins.

• Free vehicle requests through the Interaction Menu.

• $500K cash, deposited automatically every month.

• 15% bonus GTA$ on every Shark Card purchase — for example, a Megalodon Card jumps from a standard $9.2 million to $11.5 million.

• Free MC, CEO, and VIP abilities.

The Bottom Line

Month 53 keeps the GTA+ formula largely unchanged: a free car, a handful of cosmetics, some targeted discounts, and the same deep bench of permanent quality-of-life perks that have defined the subscription since launch. Whether it's worth the monthly fee still comes down to how much of that standing benefit list — the garage space, the taxi perks, the Shark Card bonus — actually gets used.

A new GTA Online Weekly Update has arrived, and this time Rockstar is turning two of Los Santos' most iconic fictional beverage brands into rival factions. The Brand War Event Week runs from August 13th through August 20th, and it's stacked with free cosmetics, a new prize vehicle, bonus payouts, and a two-week Twitch Drops promotion tied to the Sprunk-versus-eCola rivalry.

Pick a side: Sprunk or eCola

The centerpiece of this week's update is a soda-fueled brand war between Sprunk and eCola. Players can link their Twitch and Rockstar Games accounts to take part in select Twitch Drops-enabled streams running from August 13th through August 26th. Backing Team Sprunk or Team eCola during that window unlocks exclusive gear — the Sprunk Sweatsuit or the eCola Tracksuit — plus the chance to earn up to GTA$2,000,000.

Even players who skip the Twitch Drops angle can get in on the branding war. Free Sprunk and eCola bodysuits are available at every Clothing Store, and a complimentary Declasse Hotring Sabre (Sports) is up for grabs at Southern San Andreas Super Autos. Logging in this week also unlocks a Sprunk x eCola livery for that same Hotring Sabre, along with matching vanity plates available at any Vehicle Workshop.

Kortz Center Heist gets a refresh

The Kortz Center Heist is getting a mid-life boost this week. Rockstar has introduced new Primary Targets for the heist, reset its first-completion bonus so returning players can cash in again, and added an extra GTA$400,000 for anyone who finishes it without dying.

New prize ride and vehicle rotations

This week's LS Car Meet challenge rewards consistency: place in the top 4 of an LS Car Meet Race three days in a row to unlock the Enus Deity as a Prize Ride, which otherwise runs GTA$1,845,000 at Legendary Motorsport.

The rest of the vehicle lineup has rotated as usual:

• Premium Test Ride: Karin S95 (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC Enhanced)

• Test Track Vehicles: Vapid Clique Wagon, Överflöd Autarch, and Pegassi Osiris

• Luxury Autos (Rockford Hills): Benefactor LRC GT and Pfister X-treme

• Simeon's Auto Shop: Obey Tailgater S, Shitzu Keitora, Mammoth Patriot Mil-Spec, Benefactor Stirling GT, and Progen GP1

Bonus payouts across the board

Beyond the brand war itself, Rockstar has boosted rewards across several other activities this week. Hotring Circuit races and Freemode events are paying out quadruple rewards, while Odd Jobs and the Community Series see triple payouts. GTA+ members also get early access to the new Gallivanter Warden SUV ahead of its general release — expected to run around GTA$1,597,500 at Legendary Motorsport once it's available to everyone.

When does it end?

The Brand War Event Week runs through August 20th, when Rockstar is expected to roll out its next weekly reset — though the Twitch Drops promotion tied to Sprunk and eCola sticks around a bit longer, through August 26th. As always, Rockstar typically pushes new weekly updates every Thursday, though the exact timing can shift slightly around DLC releases, seasonal events, or bank holidays.

Grand Theft Auto VI hasn't even launched yet, and it's already rewriting the rules on what players are willing to pay for a pre-order. According to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, more fans have pre-ordered the $99.99 Ultimate Edition of GTA 6 than the $79.99 Standard Edition — a notable result given the backlash that greeted the pricing structure when it was first revealed.

Zelnick Confirms the Premium Skew

The revelation came during Zelnick's now-routine post-earnings press tour. Fresh off Take-Two becoming the world's largest publicly traded video game publisher, the CEO made his regular stop on CNBC's Squawk Box, where hosts pressed him on which edition of GTA 6 was actually moving units. Asked directly whether fans were opting for the $79.99 or $99.99 version, Zelnick didn't hedge: "both," he said, before clarifying that sales are "skewing premium edition."

It's a striking admission. When Rockstar first unveiled the two-tier pricing structure back in June, the response from parts of the fanbase was less than enthusiastic — critics called out the Ultimate Edition's exclusive in-game content as a "scummy" way to gatekeep features behind an extra $20. Rockstar has since indicated that Standard Edition owners will eventually be able to purchase an upgrade, though no details on that add-on have been announced.

Why the Premium Tier Is Winning

Zelnick's explanation ties the trend to who's actually pre-ordering months ahead of launch in the first place. He suggested the skew "might be a reflection of the fact that the most avid consumers are the ones who are pre-ordering" — in other words, the die-hard fans willing to commit early are also the ones least likely to blink at an extra $20 for exclusive cosmetics, vehicles, and other bonus content.

That theory tracks with earlier signals from the fanbase. Back in May, a poll from Insider Gaming found that more than 80% of respondents said they'd be willing to pay $100 for GTA 6, well before the official pricing was even locked in.

Zelnick was also careful to frame the $80 base price itself as restrained, despite industry speculation earlier this year that GTA 6 could become the first $100 game across the board. "Our goal is to deliver way more value to consumers than what we charge them," he said, describing GTA 6 as "an incredible bargain" relative to the scale of the experience Rockstar is promising.

No Discounts on the Horizon

Fans hoping to snag either edition at a reduced price around the holidays shouldn't hold their breath. Zelnick indicated Take-Two has no plans to discount GTA 6 for Black Friday or Christmas, consistent with the company's long-standing approach of holding firm on pricing for its biggest releases.

The Bigger Picture

The pre-order numbers arrive alongside a string of strong signals for Take-Two heading into GTA 6's release. The publisher recently confirmed pre-orders have "gone much better than expected," and the news follows closely on the heels of the announcement that Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look will premiere on Netflix on August 27 — a move Zelnick teased as "worth watching" without giving away specifics.

Whether the early Ultimate Edition surge holds up once the game actually launches on November 19 remains to be seen, but for now, Take-Two's math is simple: the fans who can't wait are the fans willing to pay the most.

Grand Theft Auto Online players are opening their wallets more than ever, even as sales of the base game GTA V show clear signs of slowing down. That's the picture painted by Take-Two Interactive's latest quarterly earnings presentation, delivered to investors on Friday morning.

Shark Cards Keep Selling, Even as GTA V's Growth Stalls

According to Take-Two, recurring spending in GTA Online — the category that covers Shark Card purchases and other in-game transactions — grew by 3% during the quarter. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick also confirmed that GTA+, Rockstar's subscription service, is "thriving" in terms of new member sign-ups.

It's a notable contrast to the trajectory of GTA V itself. Take-Two revealed that the game has not yet crossed the 235 million lifetime copies sold mark that had been expected by this point. GTA V hit the 230 million milestone back in May, and had been adding roughly 5 million copies sold every quarter — a pace it maintained in every quarter but this one and a single quarter the year before. Even so, GTA V remains one of the most-downloaded PS5 titles on a monthly basis, more than a decade after its original release.

Rockstar Still Investing Heavily in GTA Online

Asked directly whether Rockstar still needs to pour significant resources into keeping GTA Online running, Zelnick confirmed that it does — and that the studio has no plans to change course. The comments suggest Rockstar intends to keep supporting the live-service title with continued investment even as attention increasingly shifts toward GTA 6.

The earnings call also arrived at a notable moment for Take-Two more broadly: the publisher officially became the world's largest publicly traded video game company this week, following its acquisition of EA.

Why It Matters

The numbers tell a familiar story for GTA Online: even as the base game's raw sales growth naturally decelerates after more than a decade on the market, the online mode's monetization keeps climbing. It's a reminder of just how central Shark Card and GTA+ revenue have become to Take-Two's bottom line — and why Rockstar continues to treat GTA Online as a live product worth ongoing investment, rather than something to be wound down ahead of GTA 6's launch.

Take-Two Interactive doesn't usually sound surprised by its own business. On Friday, it did.

Speaking on the company's Q1 Fiscal Year 2027 earnings call, CEO Strauss Zelnick described early Grand Theft Auto VI pre-order activity as "unprecedented and astonishing," a phrase he doesn't reach for lightly. GTA 6 pre-orders were only live for five days during the reporting quarter, which ran from April through June, yet Zelnick said the response was strong enough to catch even his own team off guard.

"I can say that the level of preorders is unprecedented and astonishing, and we're very grateful for that," Zelnick told analysts. "But they are so unprecedented that we just don't know how it'll translate into sales... We genuinely don't, and we just don't believe in claiming victory before it occurs."

Take-Two didn't hand over hard numbers. No units sold, no pre-order revenue breakdown by title — the company has stayed tight-lipped on specifics, even as outside estimates swirl. Analytics firm Newzoo pegged the first five days of digital pre-order spending at roughly $260 million globally, which it called a record opening pre-order week for any game in its dataset. Other estimates have floated even higher, though none of that is confirmed by Rockstar or Take-Two.

What the company did confirm: total net bookings for the quarter hit $1.39 billion, and quarterly revenue landed at $1.39 billion as well — above the $1.32-$1.37 billion range Take-Two had guided investors to expect. Zelnick attributed the beat primarily to stronger-than-expected performance from the NBA 2K and GTA franchises, with NBA 2K net bookings up 7% and GTA up 3% year-over-year.

Recurrent consumer spending — Take-Two's term for the ongoing revenue that flows in from GTA Online, NBA 2K microtransactions, mobile purchases, and similar sources between big releases — held up well too, dipping just 1% year-over-year and making up 84% of the quarter's net bookings. Mobile was the one soft spot, down 7% year-over-year, though Zelnick chalked that up to a tough comparison against last year's Color Block Jam launch rather than any deeper problem.

On pricing, Zelnick pushed back on any notion that GTA 6's standard and deluxe editions were priced wrong. "I think that Rockstar got it right in terms of the pricing of this standard edition and the pricing of the deluxe edition, and I think there's no doubt that consumers are really excited about both," he said, adding that the mix between the two tiers has been encouraging.

The strong start led Take-Two to raise its full-year guidance. The company now expects fiscal 2027 net bookings to land a few hundred million dollars above its earlier $8 billion target, with GTA 6 doing most of the heavy lifting. For context, that full-year number implies GTA 6 alone will need to generate somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.3 to $1.5 billion in net bookings in the weeks following its November 19 launch — a target that, based on Friday's commentary, Take-Two now sounds confident it can clear.

Zelnick also touched on marketing plans ahead of launch, teasing more surprises to come. "Rockstar is known for trying new things and innovating, and I am hopeful you will see more innovations," he said, pointing to Thursday's news that a Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look will premiere on Netflix on August 27 at 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. BST — an unusual venue for a Rockstar reveal, and a sign the studio is willing to break from its usual playbook as launch day approaches.

GTA 6 is still set to release November 19 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Rockstar Games has released a fresh piece of key art for Grand Theft Auto VI just weeks ahead of the game's next major reveal, giving fans their first proper look at protagonists Jason and Lucia together outside of a gas station.

The artwork, officially titled "Jason and Lucia: The Heist" (with the underlying file named "Jason and Lucia Robbery"), depicts the pair standing in front of a petrol station and arrives alongside confirmation of what is effectively GTA 6 Trailer 3 — though Rockstar is branding it as Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look. Multiple versions of the image have been made available, including both logo and logo-free variants across several aspect ratios, giving fans flexibility to use the art as wallpaper or social media banners regardless of device.

A Netflix-first premiere

The bigger story tied to this art drop is where fans will be able to watch the new footage first. In a surprising move, Rockstar has partnered with Netflix to give the streaming service exclusive early access to the extended gameplay look. The trailer is set to premiere on Thursday, August 27th at 3PM ET / 8PM BST — a full six hours before it becomes available anywhere else.

That head start means anyone hoping to be among the very first to see the new footage will need an active Netflix subscription, a notable shift in how Rockstar has traditionally rolled out marketing materials for the game.

What's next

With the countdown to August 27th now underway, expect a fresh wave of speculation over what the extended gameplay look will reveal — from mission structure to map details to further glimpses of Vice City. In the meantime, the new artwork gives fans something to dissect and share while they wait.

Grand Theft Auto VI remains set for release on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Rockstar Games has finally broken its silence on the next major look at Grand Theft Auto VI, confirming both a date and a genuinely unexpected venue for the reveal. Rather than dropping the footage straight to its own channels, Rockstar is handing the exclusive premiere to Netflix — a first for the studio, and a sign of just how far its marketing partnerships have expanded ahead of the game's launch.

An Extended Look, Streaming First

According to a newswire post on Rockstar's official site, the video — titled "Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look" — will debut on Netflix at 3pm ET / 8pm BST on Thursday, August 27th. Netflix has already stood up a dedicated landing page for the premiere, complete with a reminder feature so subscribers don't miss the drop. The listing simply teases an extended look at "the next evolution" of the franchise.

It's a striking move. Trailers for a Rockstar release have always lived on YouTube and Rockstar's own site as a matter of course; routing the first watch through a subscription streaming service is new territory, and it says something about the scale of the cross-promotional deals now being built around GTA 6.

Not a Netflix Subscriber? You'll Wait Six Hours

Fans without Netflix accounts aren't shut out entirely, but they will be waiting. Rockstar confirmed the footage will land on its YouTube channel and website later the same day, at 9pm ET — a full six hours after the Netflix debut. That gap has already drawn criticism online, with a number of fans annoyed that access to the footage now effectively hinges on a streaming subscription, even if only temporarily.

A Teaser to Tide Fans Over

Alongside the announcement, Rockstar released a short teaser clip giving another glimpse of protagonists Jason and Lucia, paired with new artwork. It's a brief appetizer rather than substantial new footage, but it's the clearest visual confirmation yet that the full extended look is close.

With a firm date now locked in, the countdown to August 27th is officially on — whether fans choose to watch it via Netflix first or hold out for Rockstar's own upload six hours later.

Rockstar Games has rolled its GTA Online weekly update into the second half of the Summer Heist Event, and this stretch — running August 6th through 12th — is shaping up to be the more lucrative of the two weeks. The headline draw is the return of the Panther Statue, one of the rarest and most valuable finds in the game, alongside a guaranteed million-dollar giveaway for anyone who simply logs in.

The Panther Statue Is Back

For players chasing big paydays, this is the week to run The Cayo Perico Heist. Rockstar is guaranteeing that the Panther Statue — normally a rare pull — will appear as the primary target on your first playthrough of the heist during the event window. Escaping with it isn't just about the payout, either: successfully completing the heist finale with the statue in hand also unlocks the exclusive Panther Tour Jacket.

The statue has a reputation for good reason. With a full four-player crew, a successful run pulling the Panther Statue can pay out somewhere in the neighborhood of GTA$4.19 million, making it one of the single biggest scores available anywhere in GTA Online right now.

Rockstar is sweetening the Cayo Perico loop further by bringing back Assault on Cayo Perico and Cayo Perico Survival for the week, both offering bonus rewards, while Motor Wars (Cayo Perico) and Shipwrecks continue paying out double GTA$ and RP.

Free GTA$1,000,000 Just for Logging In

As part of Rockstar's End of Summer Giveaway, any player who logs into GTA Online between August 6th and August 12th will receive a free GTA$1,000,000, delivered within 72 hours — no missions, heists, or purchases required. Logging in during the window also nets a handful of cosmetic extras: the Sunset Glow Necklace and Blue and Pink Glow Shades.

Kortz Center Heist Gets a Refresh

The Kortz Center Heist — Rockstar's newer art-heist activity — is rotating in a fresh set of Primary Target paintings for the week. The heist's first-completion bonus has also been reset, and pulling off a run without dying nets an extra GTA$400,000 on top of whatever artwork you walk away with. As always, stolen paintings can either be sold off for a quick profit or hung in your Mansion for players building out a collection.

On the technical side, Rockstar quietly shipped a batch of fixes for the Kortz Center Heist finale this week, tightening up several stealth and detection issues players had been reporting — including guards being alerted without any clear trigger, a camera near the loading bay that could spot players in disguise, and a security camera in the hedge maze that could go invisible mid-mission.

The Rest of This Week's Update

• FIB Priority File: This week's file is The Project Breakaway File, which pays out double as part of the standard Priority File rotation.

• Casino Wheel: The Lucky Wheel's top prize this week is the Declasse Drift Tampa ($995,000 from Legendary Motorsport). GTA+ members get two spins every 24 hours instead of one.

• LS Car Meet: Win four days of Car Meet Races in a row to unlock the Coil Raiden ($1,375,000 from Legendary Motorsport) as a Prize Ride.

• Premium Test Ride: The Übermacht Sentinel XS is available to test this week on PS5, Xbox, and PC.

• Discounts: Notable markdowns include 60% off the Karin Kuruma and Kuruma (Armored), 40% off Benny's Original Motor Works conversions, 30% off the Lampadati Toro, Albany Cavalcade XL, Canis Castigator, HVY Vetir, Pegassi Reaper, Dinka Kanjo SJ, Brute Armored Boxville, Progen Itali GTB, BF Weevil, Obey 8F Drafter, and Pfister Comet Safari — plus 50% off the Heavy Rifle and 30% off the Combat Shotgun for GTA+ members.

More Community Events on the Horizon

Rockstar has also hinted at what's coming next. In a message sent to select community members, the studio teased "more community events including a celebration of Los Santos' most beloved brands, Twitch Drops, GTA Online businesses taking center stage, and much more" in the weeks ahead — suggesting the Summer Heist Event is just the opening act for a busier summer content push.

The next GTA Online weekly update is expected to land on August 13th, 2026, at roughly 10 AM BST / 5 AM ET.