CyberLeek has threatened to distribute a complete playable build of Rockstar's GTA 6 if its cryptocurrency reaches a market capitalization of US $30 million, according to Bitdefender. The threat comes ahead of the game's scheduled November 19 release and follows the circulation of roughly 25 minutes of additional footage. CyberLeek published the demand on its website after sharing those clips.
The demand hinges on the token's total market value rather than a ransom paid directly to the person behind the leaks, Bitdefender says. CyberLeek is seeking to use fans' interest in an early copy to drive the cryptocurrency's value higher. Bitdefender cautions that reaching the $30 million threshold would provide no assurance that CyberLeek would deliver the promised build.
Read more: Rockstar Confirms GTA 6 Preorders Open June 25 and Reveals Official Cover Art
Eurogamer reviewed the newly circulated footage and judged it apparently authentic, according to Bitdefender's account. It also confirmed that the clips bear CyberLeek's emblem. CyberLeek claims it can demonstrate access to the whole game by supplying particular scenes requested by people who question its claims.
CyberLeek says it would withdraw its threats if GTA 6 receives a physical disc release and a public apology is issued. Take-Two, Rockstar's parent, has sought subpoenas involving Microsoft and Discord to obtain information that could identify the source of the leaks, Bitdefender reports.
In August, Rockstar publicly addressed the earlier leaks, expressing distress for its staff and saying development was approaching completion. At that point, CyberLeek had repeatedly distributed footage purportedly taken from a playable build and had threatened to move from locations and ordinary gameplay to story spoilers.
Stop Killing Games, which campaigns to preserve access to games after publisher support ends, urged gamers in an August Reddit post against giving CyberLeek money. The group described the conduct as illegal and expressed sympathy for Rockstar employees facing another leak. Bitdefender also warns that purported leaked-game downloads could compromise fans' computers and that buying the promoted cryptocurrency could cost them money.
