Rockstar 'heartbroken' after GTA VI gameplay leaks online

Rockstar Games said it is “heartbroken” after GTA VI gameplay leaked online.

The game developer, founded in Dundee with offices in Edinburgh, says the highly anticipated release may now be impacted by spoilers.

GTA VI’s release date was pushed back to November this year after it was originally slated for May.

The much-anticipated game will see players return to the Miami-inspired location of Vice City and will include its first female protagonist, Lucia.

However, clips appearing to show gameplay began appearing online last week on social media, with questions raised over their authenticity.

On Friday, Rockstar’s parent company, Take Two Interactive, launched legal proceedings in a New York court surrounding the leaks.

On Wednesday, Rockstar acknowledged the leak in a statement, saying: “We know that many of you have been waiting to hear from us regarding the events of the past week.

“It would be an understatement to say that having videos of Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay leak in this way has been heartbreaking for our team, and this is obviously not how we intended for you to see the game after all this time.

“We are very sorry that everything has taken as long as it has, from getting the game finished (nearly there!) to sharing more details and official gameplay, and providing the community with everything you want to know.

“We are very excited for everyone to see the extended look tomorrow. It has taken longer than we wanted to get it ready, but as with everything we do, we know we need to exceed your expectations, and we are determined to deliver at the level you expect and deserve.

“While it is unfortunate that the intended game experience may now be impacted by some spoilers, we hope that everyone will wait a bit longer to experience the game for themselves on November 19.

“We want to thank everyone in the community who has reached out with messages of support this past week – your words have meant more to this team than you can imagine. Ultimately, we are making this game for you, and without you, we would not have the privilege of making games.

“We look forward to sharing more with you soon.”