The biggest leak in the series, a tribunal over sackings, 30 FPS, no online, the row with Miami, censorship in China and a rating that mentions sex and decapitation. Everything that has gone wrong, with what's confirmed and what isn't.
No GTA has ever reached shops clean, and this one won't either. What's different is the volume: since August, not a week has gone by without Rockstar in the headlines for something it didn't want. Here they all are, in order, with links to what we've published on each.
1. CYBERLEEK: the biggest leak in the series
On 18 August, real gameplay videos and the game's map began circulating. Behind them was a group calling itself CYBERLEEK, which said it had a playable copy and demanded changes from publishers over digital ownership. Take-Two responded with subpoenas to Discord and Microsoft to identify those responsible, and Rockstar said what happened had been "heartbreaking" for the team.
Where it stands now: there has been no public news since early September. The investigation continues in court, where Take-Two asked to keep part of the proceedings sealed, and no arrest has been announced in this case. We covered it day by day in our timeline and in the hunt for the leaker. This site doesn't link to or host any leaked material.
2. The other hack: ShinyHunters and an arrest
This is a separate case. In April, the ShinyHunters group stole Rockstar's internal data about its online games and published it when the company didn't pay. On 29 September, Dutch police announced the arrest of a 24-year-old man the FBI places at the top of the group. The full story.
3. The tribunal over the sackings
Rockstar dismissed 34 employees in October 2025, citing leaks of confidential information; they say it was for unionising. The tribunal began in Glasgow in September, and in its own filings Rockstar admits it had an informant inside the union's Discord for more than two years. We explain it here.
4. A $400 box that doesn't include the game
The collector's box costs $399.99, includes 11 items and no copy of GTA 6. To top it off, Rockstar later sent several influencers a merch package many fans liked better. And there's no disc: the retail edition is a box with a code. All of it in our box story.
5. 30 FPS, with performance mode up in the air
Rob Nelson of Rockstar North confirmed the game runs at 30 FPS on PS5 and Xbox Series, and that a 60 FPS mode depends on what the technical team decides. For many players, in 2026, that isn't enough. Why 30 and not 60.
6. No online on launch day
Rockstar presents GTA 6 as a single-player experience. Online would arrive in 2027, according to Twitch's CEO, and the ESRB rating doesn't carry the online interaction label. What we know about online.
7. Miami: a near-million-dollar sign and the police against it
Miami-Dade County signed, without a vote, a $975,000 deal to put "Welcome to Vice City" on the roof of the Heat's arena, and several commissioners learned of it from the press. Earlier, the county sheriff had rejected associating the city with the game. Now the Heat will play a game as "Vice City". The sign, the police and the game.
8. The censored version for China
Rockstar published a version of the Extended Look on Bilibili with dancing, blood, underwear and even cigarettes blurred. It doesn't mean the game will be different, but it opened the debate. What was covered up.
9. The rules against mods
In September Rockstar published its rules: no expanding the story, no mixing maps and no making money outside its platform. For the modding and roleplay community, a warning before the game is even out. The rules.
10. Sex, drugs and decapitation
The age rating mentions "Strong Sexual Content" in the US and "Sex Scenes" in Australia. And PEGI published, then removed, a listing describing detailed decapitation, cocaine snorted from the hand and fetishes. The ratings and PEGI's removed listing.
11. The price and in-game purchases
GTA 6 costs $80, and a Warhorse executive has already said he hopes that lets every game's price go up. The ESRB also gives it the "In-Game Purchases" label, even though Rockstar said the story would launch without microtransactions. The price debate and what Rockstar said.
12. Silence from the top
Sam Houser, Rockstar's president, has cancelled the only planned interview about GTA 6, and his brother Dan, who helped write the whole series, says he hasn't even seen the game. The story.
And one that hasn't blown up yet
On dates alone, GTA 6 may be left without a shot at Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2026: it launches on 19 November and nominations are usually voted before that. The maths, here.
FAQ
What has been GTA 6's biggest controversy?
The August 2026 leak, attributed to the CYBERLEEK group, with real gameplay videos and the game's map. Take-Two took it to court.
Has the GTA 6 leaker been arrested?
No arrest has been announced over the August leak. There is an arrest in a separate case, April's theft of Rockstar data, attributed to ShinyHunters.
Do these controversies affect the release date?
No. Rockstar is keeping 19 November 2026.
