GTA 6 Makers Subpoena Google and X as Cyberleek Hunt Intensifies

Take-Two Interactive has subpoenaed Google and X Corp in an escalating legal campaign to unmask the anonymous leaker known as Cyberleek, who continues to release Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay footage online. The parent company of Rockstar Games filed the requests on Aug. 21 with the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York, seeking to compel both platforms “to produce the identity of entities or persons believed to be infringing on the copyright of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.”

One of the subpoenas includes a copy of a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown request sent to X Corp, which confirms the leaked gameplay videos posted by Cyberleek are legitimate. While an earlier GTA 6 subpoena filed by Take-Two referenced “stolen content,” the latest filing contains even more explicit confirmation.

Take-Two requested that X Corp remove “Images and videos extracted from an unreleased copyrighted work GTA VI,” as the takedown request states. The filing emphasizes: “The reported post contains unauthorized, leaked gameplay footage from the unreleased game Grand Theft Auto VI. This material reproduces our Client’s copyrighted, unreleased game assets and was published and distributed without any authorization from the copyright holder.”

The action against Google and X Corp follows two similar subpoena requests filed against Microsoft and Discord. It’s all part of Take-Two’s ongoing efforts to scrub Cyberleek’s videos from the web while also identifying the leaker’s digital footprints.

“The DMCA Subpoena is directed to X Corp., the service provider of an account with the username @cyberleek_ar_io. Infringing content was posted via the @cyberleek_ar_io account,” the filing states. “This content infringes copyrights held by Take-Two for GRAND THEFT AUTO VI, proprietary software owned by Take-Two. The copyrighted material includes but is not limited to audiovisual content, artwork, images, dialogue, or other creative elements.”

Likewise, the subpoena directed to Google states, “This infringing content is believed to be associated with the following online personas: CyberLeeks, Surfer24k, CyberLeek_ar_io.”

For the accounts associated with Cyberleek, Take-Two is demanding a wide range of data including account IDs, server metadata, telemetry records, original message logs, IP access logs, email addresses, phone numbers, connected accounts, registration timestamps, and any device identifiers.

This comprehensive data request extends to the subpoenas filed against Microsoft and Discord as well. According to GTA 6 court filing documents, Take-Two wants “all internal Microsoft business records and investigative records associated with Microsoft’s internal investigation of the ‘CyberLeek’ persona sufficient to identify the user(s), person(s) and/or entity/ies associated with that persona.”

The Discord subpoena requests “all identifying information associated with all user accounts that are/were members communicating with the Discord server(s) listed below during the time period from June 1, 2026 to present.” This includes account IDs, registration emails, IP addresses, phone numbers, linked connections, device identifiers, and content related to GTA, Rockstar, or Cyberleek from OneDrive accounts.

One of the Discord servers mentioned in the filing is ‘discord.gg/darkviperau,’ described as the DarkViperAU editors’ server. DarkViperAU is the online name of Australian GTA content creator Matthew “Matt” Judge, who has 2.27 million subscribers on YouTube. Judge has denied any wrongdoing, stating: “I don’t know anything. That isn’t my editors Discord. There aren’t even any clips of the leaks in either of my Discords.”

Microsoft has already indicated its willingness to cooperate. Xbox chief technology officer Scott Van Vliet posted: “We are working closely with Take-Two and Rockstar Games to support efforts to protect creative works and intellectual property.”

However, Discord has taken a more measured approach. Marketing director Ryan Rigney stated: “Discord has not yet been served with a subpoena from Take-Two. When we do, we’ll evaluate the validity and scope before responding.” This suggests the platform may scrutinize the breadth of Take-Two’s data request before compliance.

Privacy advocates have raised concerns about the subpoena’s scope. Reclaim The Net, a group advocating for free speech and privacy, criticized the request: “Copyright law is supposed to target infringement. Here, it’s being used to hunt for identities. Take-Two is seeking DMCA subpoenas that could expose users who didn’t leak or upload GTA VI footage, but who participated in conversations within Discord servers where the leak was discussed.”

One of the Discord servers in question has over 107,000 members, and the request asks for “all identifying information associated with all user accounts” that were members of three named servers since June 1. This raises questions about the potential exposure of innocent community members who merely discussed the leaks.

Meanwhile, Cyberleek appears undaunted by Take-Two’s investigation. The hacker has been very active over the past week, posting new GTA 6 gameplay videos, polls, and map images on a daily basis. Recent footage reportedly shows a nudist colony, a gas station carjacking, glimpses of a cutscene, and gameplay featuring protagonist Jason Duvall.

The leaked clips have revealed several gameplay elements, including a refueling mechanic, a plane flying over Vice City at night, and interactions at a strip club. One clip allegedly shows Jason stealing a vehicle from a gas station, with another character pouring fuel into the truck bed rather than into its tank, culminating in an explosion.

Cyberleek frames the leaks as an act of protest against what they perceive as anti-consumer practices in the gaming industry. The group’s manifesto stated: “Publishers sell licenses and call them purchases. They ship unfinished games and call them living services. They lock content on discs and call it DLC. They kill games and keep the money. Every year anti-consumerism tightens its grip, and every year gamers get less for what they pay.”

The hackers have listed specific demands, including a physical disc release of the game (which Rockstar previously said it would not release), no paywalled solo player content, and full offline access. They also claim to have obtained a playable build of the game and have asked users for cryptocurrency donations.

The leaked videos feature watermarks promoting a memecoin, which one GTA fan traced to a Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange. Another watermark reads: “HIGHER MARKET CAP = MORE LEEKS,” suggesting a financial motivation behind the ongoing leaks.

If caught, Cyberleek will almost certainly face criminal charges, though the outcome depends on how they obtained the leaked material and where the leaker is located.

So far, Rockstar Games and Take-Two haven’t publicly commented on the alleged leaks outside of the subpoena requests.

The leaks come at a critical moment for Rockstar’s marketing campaign. GTA 6 is scheduled for release on Nov. 19 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, with a standard edition priced at $79.99 and an ultimate edition at $99.99. The game has been in development for over a decade and has faced repeated delays, making it one of the most highly anticipated video games of all time.

Before the leaks started, Rockstar announced it would debut an “extended look” at the game on Netflix on Aug. 27, but Cyberleek has disrupted those promotional plans. The Netflix preview is set to remain exclusive to the platform for six hours before being released on other platforms like YouTube.

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick previously described the Netflix partnership as merely “one of the hors d’oeuvres” of the game’s marketing campaign, suggesting a much larger promotional strategy is still to come.

Even as YouTube, X Corp, and Discord remove infringing content, the GTA 6 leaks are still easy to find and spreading widely on social media, presenting an ongoing challenge for Take-Two’s legal and PR teams.

Market reaction to the leaks has been notable. Take-Two’s stock fell approximately 10% over five days, closing at $233 on Monday, as investors appeared nervous about the potential impact on the company’s business.

However, industry analysts remain confident about the game’s commercial prospects. Video game industry analyst Michael Pachter stated: “This game is gonna crush every record ever. This game could sell 10 million units in the first minute. I think it could do 20 million in the first day and a half.”

USC technology professor Sanjay Madhav also noted that leaks are unlikely to significantly impact sales unless a playable build is widely distributed. “If you compare it to something like a movie being leaked, that’s a little bit different because presumably if you watch the whole movie, you’re not really compelled to watch it again. But I think in this case, unless they release the playable build for other people to download, I don’t think that it’s going to have a noticeable impact on their sales.”

The subpoenas provide a rare glimpse into the legal machinery behind protecting one of the entertainment industry’s most valuable intellectual properties. The outcome of this investigation could have implications not only for Cyberleek but also for how platforms handle leaked content and how broadly DMCA subpoenas can be applied in the future.

What’s Next for the GTA 6 Cyberleak Investigation

Take-Two’s multi-pronged legal strategy targets the full ecosystem of platforms where Cyberleak has operated. The company is demanding that Microsoft, Discord, Google, and X Corp produce related documents by Sept. 4, 2026. If the platforms comply, the resulting data could provide enough information to identify the individual or group behind the leaks.

However, the legal process is complex. Discord’s statement that it will “evaluate the validity and scope before responding” suggests potential pushback on the breadth of the subpoena, particularly regarding the request for data from users who merely participated in Discord servers where the leaks were discussed.

The investigation also faces technical challenges. Cyberleak has used various online personas—CyberLeeks, Surfer24k, and CyberLeek_ar_io—suggesting efforts to obscure their digital footprint. The use of cryptocurrency and potentially anonymizing technologies could further complicate identification.

Meanwhile, Cyberleak continues to release new content, with recent videos showing additional gameplay elements and potentially teasing story spoilers. The group’s stated mission suggests they may not stop even if identified, though legal consequences would likely curtail their activities.

For fans, the situation presents a dilemma: the leaks offer unprecedented early glimpses of the game, but they also undermine Rockstar’s carefully planned marketing rollout and potentially compromise the surprise elements of the story. With the official Netflix preview just days away, the gaming community is watching closely to see how this high-stakes legal and security drama unfolds.