Is the GTA 6 ‘demo’ really out? Here's what gamers should know
The excitement surrounding the much-anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 has been exploited by cybercriminals, with a new malware campaign using fake game downloads and promotional websites to target eager fans.
The campaign uses websites designed to imitate Rockstar Games' branding and promotions, encouraging users to download files falsely advertised as a demo or official version of GTA 6. The downloaded files instead contain an infostealer capable of accessing sensitive information stored on users' devices.
According to an analysis by Malwarebytes, the malware can attempt to steal saved passwords and login credentials, session cookies, browsing and download history, browser profile data including autofill information, and credentials stored by FTP clients.
The campaign emerged as Rockstar Games released a 26-minute preview of GTA 6 on Netflix on Thursday, offering an extended look at the game's characters and Vice City setting ahead of its November 19 release.
The preview features lead characters Jason and Lucia, who have been described as a Bonnie and Clyde-style duo, along with car chases, shootouts, rooftop meetings and scenes at a strip club.
GTA 6 was originally scheduled for release in late 2025 but was delayed to November, 2026. Its predecessor, GTA 5, was released in 2013 and has sold more than 200 million copies.
The latest preview follows a series of leaks that began circulating online on August 18. Rockstar described the leaks as "heartbreaking."
"This is obviously not how we intended for you to see the game after all this time," Rockstar said in a statement posted on social media.
The company has since obtained court orders requiring Microsoft and Discord to hand over data as part of efforts to identify those behind the leaks. Two federal judges in New York approved subpoena requests filed by Rockstar, according to court documents reviewed by AFP.
The leaks have been attributed to an account using the pseudonym Cyberleek, whose operators claim they are exposing business practices within the gaming industry.
Netflix and Rockstar have previously partnered to make earlier GTA titles available through Netflix's mobile gaming section. The latest GTA 6 preview was also scheduled to be released on YouTube later Thursday.
The launch itself generated further excitement, with some Netflix users reporting outages around the time the preview went live.
Cybersecurity experts are now warning fans to be particularly cautious about unofficial GTA 6 downloads, as the malware campaign could allow attackers to harvest credentials and other browser-stored information from victims.
When does GTA 6 come out?
Rockstar Games has confirmed that Grand Theft Auto 6 will be released on November 19, 2026. The game is initially scheduled to launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, while a PC release date has not yet been announced.