Take-Two Interactive has reportedly lost around $2.83 billion in market value after a wave of GTA VI leaks spread online this week.

The leaks appeared during the week of August 17 and claim to show footage and other material from a recent build of Rockstar Games’ highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI. The person behind the leaks, known online as Cyberleek, says they have had direct access to a pre-release version of the game.

According to Yahoo Finance data, Take-Two’s share price dropped by about $15.29 compared with the Monday before the first leaks appeared. Over five trading days, the company lost around 2.54% of its market value.

That does not mean the GTA VI leaks alone caused the entire decline, but the timing has drawn attention because Take-Two has been moving quickly to remove the leaked material from the internet.

GTA VI gameplay leaks spread online

The leaked material reportedly includes more than simple screenshots. Videos are said to show NPC interactions, gameplay systems, parts of the full map and other details from the game.

Take-Two has issued DMCA takedown requests against some of the leaked content. The company’s response has also added weight to claims that the material may have come from a real development build.

There is still no absolute public proof that every piece of leaked material is genuine. However, newer videos appear to show a playable version of GTA VI, making the situation more serious for Rockstar Games.

Rockstar has kept official details about GTA VI limited, so the sudden release of development footage gives players a look at content the studio clearly did not intend to show yet.

Cyberleek says the leaks have a bigger goal

Cyberleek says the GTA VI leaks are part of a wider campaign against what it describes as anti-consumer practices in the gaming industry.

The group has published three rules that it wants major publishers to follow. The first calls for an end to digital pre-orders before launch and independent reviews.

The second targets what Cyberleek calls “fake” single-player DLC. It argues that publishers should not charge customers for single-player content that is already included in the game files.

The third demands that publishers preserve single-player games after online services are shut down. Cyberleek points to Ubisoft’s The Crew as an example of a game that became unavailable even though it included a single-player campaign.

Cyberleek also claims it is raising money for an undisclosed project and warns that other major publishers could become targets.

GTA VI leaks create another problem for Rockstar

For Rockstar Games, the leaks are a major unwanted event ahead of one of the industry’s biggest game launches.

GTA VI is expected to attract huge attention when it arrives, and Rockstar has carefully controlled what information reaches the public. The leaked material could reveal gameplay systems and locations long before the studio is ready to discuss them officially.

At the same time, the reported $2.83 billion drop in Take-Two’s market value shows why major game leaks can become a business problem as well as a security issue.

It is important to note that market value can change for many reasons, so the entire loss cannot be directly blamed on the GTA VI leaks. Still, the timing of the share price decline and Rockstar’s aggressive takedown efforts have made the situation difficult to ignore.

With more leaked material reportedly appearing online, Rockstar and Take-Two now face the challenge of limiting further leaks while keeping players focused on the official GTA VI release.