Grand Theft Auto Online is one of Rockstar Games' biggest and most lucrative projects and it's under threat.
The recent leak of Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto 5 source code has raised concerns about the potential impacts on GTA Online. This unexpected breach, presumably orchestrated by Lapsus$ and disseminated through various channels including a Telegram channel managed by "Phil" has sent shockwaves throughout the internet.
The leak not only exposed GTA 5's source code but also revealed files from other anticipated titles such as GTA VI and Bully 2.
It's impossible to overstate the significance of this leak. Having the source code of GTA 5 available publicly opens up the game to vulnerabilities, especially in terms of creating sophisticated cheat programs. This unfortunate, but surprisingly common in our industry, incident could have far-reaching consequences for GTA Online, known for its dynamic and competitive online environment.
Specifically, the availability of cheat programs could disrupt the balance of the game, affecting player experience and potentially impacting the game's profitability.
The leak also included references to canceled DLCs for GTA V5 offering a glimpse into what could have been for the single-player mode of the game.
Among the unreleased expansions includes "SP Assassination Pack," "SP Manhunt Pack," "Agent Trevor," and others, hinting at Rockstar's ambitious plans for the game's narrative expansion. Eventually, the focus on the highly lucrative GTA Online and other factors such as the development of Red Dead Redemption 2 led Rockstar to abandon these single-player expansions.
Furthermore, the leak has revealed an early look at the GTA V map and elements of the RAGE engine used by Rockstar for its games. There are internal emails from Rockstar employees and development notes, offering an unprecedented behind-the-scenes view of the game's creation process. This leak is not only a breach of intellectual property and privacy, but also exposes the inner workings of Rockstar's game development.
The internet's reaction to the leak has been mixed. Many are expressing disappointment over the missed opportunities for more single-player content in GTA 5. However, others acknowledge the strategic and financially-driven shift towards GTA Online.
To be fair, if not for GTA Online's massive annual revenue, Rockstar wouldn't be able to afford to release award-winning generational titles like Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto 6, which is expected to be the most expensive video game ever when it finally comes out.
Ultimately, this leak is part of a problematic series of cyberattacks against Rockstar Games, led with the 2022 breach by a teenager who released gameplay videos of the upcoming GTA 6 and threatened to release more confidential details. The teenager, part of the South America-based Lapsus$ group, was recently sentenced to an indefinite hospital stay for his actions.
As Rockstar prepares for the release of GTA 6, which, by the way, was also leaked ahead of its official trailer reveal, this incident, among a string of others affecting more video game companies, should serve as a reminder to the general public of the threats faced by developers on a daily basis.
