The source code for Rockstar Games Inc.’s blockbuster title, Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V), has reportedly surfaced online.
The source code for Rockstar Games Inc.’s blockbuster title, Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V), has reportedly surfaced online. Rumors of the leak have circulated on various platforms, including a Telegram channel, though concrete evidence remains elusive.
The closest acknowledgment of the leak comes from vx-underground on Twitter, which claims to have spoken to someone allegedly responsible for the leak. However, even this account hesitates to confirm the release’s authenticity, adding an air of mystery to the situation.
If indeed the source code has been legitimately leaked, it wouldn’t be entirely unexpected. In September, reports emerged that one arm of Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., the parent company of Rockstar Games, fell victim to a hack. During that incident, 2K, a sister company to Rockstar, allegedly suffered a breach through an authorized third party gaining access to the credentials of a vendor responsible for the help desk platform used by the company.
The alleged hacker behind the GTA V source code leak, as reported by vx-underground, claims to have taken this action to combat scamming in the GTA V modding scene. According to the hacker, many individuals were purportedly being scammed by others who falsely claimed to possess the GTA V source code. In an intriguing twist, the leaker paid homage to Arion Kurtaj, a hacker associated with the infamous Lapsus$ hacking group, known for leaking GTA VI videos. In a message on the Telegram channel, the hacker called for Kurtaj’s release.
Arion Kurtaj, operating under pseudonyms such as “White” and “breachbase,” gained notoriety in March 2022. Recently, he was sentenced to a life term in a hospital prison on December 22, 2023, for his involvement in various hacks as a member of Lapsus$. Kurtaj was found guilty of hacking Rockstar Games, among other high-profile companies, including Uber Technologies Inc. and Nvidia Corp.
Despite these developments, Rockstar Games has yet to issue a statement regarding the alleged leak of the GTA V source code.
Grand Theft Auto V, released in September 2013, has achieved record-breaking success, boasting an entire page dedicated to its accolades on the Guinness World Records site. According to Statista, Rockstar Games has sold an impressive 190 million copies of GTA V as of November 2023, solidifying its place in gaming history.
As the gaming community awaits official confirmation from Rockstar Games, the purported leak raises concerns about the security of one of the industry’s most iconic titles. The motivations behind the leak, whether driven by a desire to expose scams or as a tribute to a convicted hacker, add layers of complexity to an already mysterious situation. In the world of virtual crime and punishment, the Grand Theft Auto series seems to be entangled in a real-life drama of its own.