Downloads advertised as GTA VI are in fact being used to harvest passwords and plant other malware, ESET warns, with the game's scheduled November 19 release still ahead. Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S; Rockstar has not announced a PC edition, nor any way for players to sample it early. ESET expects scammers to target fans more heavily as the launch and the holiday shopping period approach.
Rockstar's prices, as cited by ESET, are $79.99 for the Standard Edition and $99.99 for the Ultimate Edition in the United States. Pre-orders opened on June 25, and since November 10 those who ordered digitally have been able to pre-load the game. That pre-load is not early access, and no playable demo or beta has been announced.
In August, Malwarebytes uncovered a campaign whose sites imitated Rockstar to draw in people looking for a demo. A button that looked genuine led to an executable named gta6_installer.exe, and it carried the Vidar infostealer rather than any game. At 1.1 MB, the file targeted stored passwords and browser autofill data across 19 browsers, plus FTP credentials.
Huntress examined a different operation built on ISO files themed around GTA VI, each bigger than 100 GB and filled with padding so the download would seem like a real, weighty game. Attackers pushed those files out through search manipulation, torrents, social platforms and gaming forums. Researchers have yet to find any indication that a genuine, playable leak exists, ESET says.
Not every scheme depends on a tainted file; some aim straight at cash and account access. ESET describes fake sign-in pages that copy gaming services, along with bogus shops selling copies, keys or bundles. What the attackers want is credentials, card details or a payment, and ESET lists unusually low prices and crypto-only payment demands as red flags.
ESET expects the tactics to shift again once the game is out and the holidays arrive, with fake gift cards and bundles among the likely hooks. Cheats, mods and supposed PC downloads may become the next bait, according to the company. ESET says Rockstar has still not shared a PC release date or the hardware it would need.
