Take-Two Interactive Software is stepping up its efforts to identify the anonymous leaker known as Cyberleek, who continues to share alleged Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay online.
The parent company of Rockstar Games has asked a US court to issue subpoenas against Google and X Corp, seeking information that could help reveal the identity behind several online personas linked to the leaks.
The latest filings also contain a notable admission about the material being shared. In a Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown request sent to X, Take-Two described the footage as 'unauthorized, leaked gameplay footage from the unreleased game Grand Theft Auto VI'.
The company also said the material was presented as genuine leaked gameplay from Take-Two. The requests form part of a wider effort to remove the videos while tracing Cyberleek's online activity.
Take-Two Seeks Data From Google and X
On 21 August, Take-Two asked the US District Court in the Southern District of New York to approve subpoenas compelling Google and X Corp to provide information about 'entities or persons believed to be infringing on the copyright of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.' as per a report by Mashable.
The subpoena directed at X concerns the accounts, including @cyberleek_ar_io. Take-Two said the account had posted material infringing its copyrights for Grand Theft Auto VI, including audiovisual content, artwork, images, dialogue and other creative elements.
The company's DMCA request to X specifically asked for the removal of 'Images and videos extracted from an unreleased copyrighted work GTA VI'. Take-Two said the material reproduced copyrighted, unreleased game assets and had been distributed without permission from the copyright holder.
The subpoena sent to Google also identifies several online personas believed to be connected to the activity, including CyberLeeks, Surfer24k and CyberLeek_ar_io.
Take-Two is seeking extensive account information from the companies involved. The requested data includes account IDs, server metadata, telemetry records, original message logs, IP access logs, email addresses, phone numbers, connected accounts, registration timestamps and device identifiers.
The latest action follows similar subpoena requests involving Microsoft and Discord. Take-Two has also targeted a GitHub repository associated with Cyberleek. A repository mentioned in an earlier DMCA request was still online on Friday, although its URL now returns a 404 error.
Cyberleek Continues Posting GTA 6 Footage
Despite the legal action and efforts by platforms including YouTube, X and Discord to remove infringing material, Cyberleek has continued posting alleged Grand Theft Auto VI footage online.
Recent posts have reportedly included gameplay showing a nudist colony, a gas station carjacking and glimpses of a cutscene. Over the past week, Cyberleek has also posted gameplay videos, polls and map images on a daily basis.
The activity comes shortly before Rockstar's planned promotional push for the game. Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled for release on 19 Nov. and has been in development for more than a decade. The game has also faced repeated delays.
Before the latest leaks appeared, Rockstar had announced plans to debut an 'extended look' at Grand Theft Auto VI on Netflix on 27 August. The continued appearance of leaked material has disrupted those promotional plans, while copies of the footage continue to circulate across social media despite takedowns.
The subpoenas offer a clearer picture of how Take-Two is attempting to identify the person or people behind the leaks. The company is not only seeking to remove the material but is also attempting to follow the digital trail across multiple platforms.
If Cyberleek is identified, further legal action could follow, depending on how the material was obtained and where the person responsible is located. So far, Rockstar Games and Take-Two have not publicly commented on the alleged leaks beyond the information contained in their subpoena requests.
