Rockstar Games has broken its silence on a wave of leaked Grand Theft Auto 6 footage, describing the situation as "heartbreaking" for the teams working on the highly anticipated game and apologising to fans who have been waiting for official updates.

Short gameplay clips and apparent cinematics from GTA 6 began circulating online last week, initially prompting questions over whether the material was genuine. However, mounting evidence, including copyright takedowns and legal action by Rockstar's parent company Take-Two Interactive, has since indicated that at least some of the footage is authentic.

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In its first statement addressing the leaks, Rockstar acknowledged that fans had been waiting for a response and said the leaks were "not how we intended for you to see the game after all this time".

The developer also said it was "unfortunate the intended game experience may now be impacted by some spoilers".

The company thanked fans for their support during the past week, saying: "Your words have meant more to the team than you can imagine."

Rockstar also promised that an upcoming official preview would give fans a better look at the game. The extended look is scheduled to air on Netflix this week, with the developer vowing to "exceed" expectations.

Take-Two takes legal action

The leaks have triggered a legal response from Take-Two Interactive, which filed proceedings in a New York court after the footage began spreading across social media.

Take-Two has also sought information from major technology platforms in an effort to identify those responsible for distributing the material. The company filed subpoenas involving Microsoft and Discord on Aug. 20, followed by requests involving Google and X Corp.

The filings referred to the leaked material as "stolen content", further strengthening indications that at least some of the circulating footage came from genuine development material.

Copies of the videos have also been removed from social media platforms following copyright complaints.

The group or individual using the name Cyberleek has continued releasing material despite the legal action. The leaks have included gameplay footage, map images and apparent story content, including a clip reportedly involving a prologue introducing Lucia Caminos.

As of the latest reports, 16 gameplay clips and three map screenshots had been posted, showing different elements of the game, including apparent cutscenes.

However, not everything circulating online is genuine. A large number of AI-generated videos claiming to show GTA 6 footage have also appeared across social media, making it increasingly difficult for fans to distinguish authentic leaks from fabricated material.

The people behind the leaks have claimed they are acting in the interests of players and have accused Rockstar of anti-consumer practices, including its reported decision not to release a disc version of GTA 6 at launch. However, the credibility of those claims has been questioned, particularly because viewers have been encouraged to send cryptocurrency "donations" to accounts posting the material.

GTA 6 still on track for major launch

Despite the leak controversy, GTA 6 remains one of the most anticipated entertainment releases in years. The game is currently scheduled to launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox consoles in November.

Its predecessor, GTA 5, became a record-breaking success after its 2013 release and has sold more than 200 million copies worldwide.