GamerBraves Newsletter vol. 60 – GTA 6 And The Potential Harm of Leaks

The gaming industry received a rather rude awakening over the weekend as leaks of Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 6 began circulating online.

Leaks have become all the more common in video games in recent years. As people become more excited about games and game speculation, illicit game reveals, footage, and assets seem to slip through the cracks. Most leaks tend to not cause too much harm in the long run but with examples like GTA 6, we can see just how much potential they have to damage an upcoming title.

Leaks can come in all shapes and sizes. Some may reveal a certain game is in development, others may reveal a release date, gameplay details, or even a date when the publisher reveals more details. The biggest leaks are when actual footage or screenshots are released, potentially giving away what would be powerful plot points or exciting character inclusions.

The foremost issue with leaks is that they can hurt the game’s marketing. Big show-stopping reveals may not hit as hard if people already know they’re going to happen. From there they can also lead to harassment and toxicity. If fans don’t like what they see or hear in leaks they may try and take it out on the devs online. This can greatly demoralize developers and may hurt them on a personal level. It’s important to remember that marketing for games is planned out months in advance, all of which can be ruined by a leak. If you’ve been working hard towards a big reveal of your project for months on end, only to see it spoiled online, it’s got to sting just a little.

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