GTA 6 gameplay footage leaks days before Netflix reveal — and Rockstar's DMCA response says it all

A clip purporting to show the first genuine GTA 6 gameplay has spread across the internet, just nine days before Rockstar's official Netflix reveal. Rockstar responded with DMCA takedowns — a move that confirms via Dexerto the studio believes the footage is real, not a fan-made fake.

What the clip shows

The roughly one-minute video features Jason — one of GTA 6's two playable protagonists — stepping out of an oceanside house and shooting hoops alone. Video quality is low, making the graphics hard to judge fairly. Some viewers have flagged that the landing animations look almost identical to GTA V's, though that could reflect a shared engine rather than a problem. The same source also released screenshots of an in-game map, though those are equally difficult to verify. An informal poll on ResetEra found 84.7% of respondents believe the footage is authentic.

The motivation behind the leak

The group responsible, calling itself Cyberleek, isn't hiding its reasons. Cyberleek's stated demands frame the leak explicitly as a protest against Rockstar's decision to release GTA 6 as a digital-only title — no physical disc at launch. The group also criticised the lack of pre-purchase review access, arguing buyers have no way to evaluate a $70-plus game before committing. That argument lands in the middle of a wider debate: the FTC has scrutinised digital game pre-orders without refund guarantees, and the UK's ASA has been reviewing gaming industry marketing practices.

What's coming next

Rockstar's official "Extended Look" premieres on Netflix on August 27 at 3 PM ET, with a YouTube release following six hours later. That streaming-first approach — bypassing traditional gaming press — is itself part of what Cyberleek says it's protesting. GTA 6 is confirmed for November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. No PC version has been announced. Whether the leak damages Rockstar's carefully managed reveal or simply adds to the hype is an open question — but the DMCA clock is already running.