The gaming world has been taken by surprise when a user named "teapotuberhacker" allegedly hacked Rockstar Games and leaked confidential gameplay footage of one of the most anticipated games of all time, Grand Theft Auto VI.

The leaks were posted just a day after the 9th anniversary of the game's critically acclaimed predecessor, Grand Theft Auto V. The leaks have already generated a lot of buzz within a day of being posted, as fans worldwide have been eagerly waiting for updates for years.

The leaks were shared on a platform called "GTAFORUMS" by the hacker, who claims to be behind last week's Uber hacking incident. He shared a 3GB file titled "GTA 6(Americas)-leak" and claimed it had 90 videos of actual gameplay of GTA VI.

Various sources then confirmed that the leaks are pre-alpha footage of the game during development, dated between 2015 and 2019. The clips include a variety of in-game visual effects, movement animations, vehicle interiors and much more.

Leaks also reveal that the storyline will have a Latin female protagonist named Lucia and a male protagonist named Jason, with their concept being inspired from the story of Bonnie and Clyde. Players can quickly go back and forth between the two characters with the switch option.

The game takes place in Vice City and leaks suggest that the infamous Malibu club, previously seen in GTA: Vice City, might make a return.

As for the new in-game features displayed in the leaks, the police now remember players' vehicle model and number plates. Additionally, characters' health now regenerates slowly and they also have the new ability to crawl. Cargo containers can now be robbed and there is reportedly better "robbery mechanisms."

On top of that, new weapons have been added and pistols can be swapped to both hands.

Visibility of holstered weapons is another feature shown in the leaks. In the previous games, characters would either store their weapons in their inventory, or carry them in their hands. The leaks show that holstered weapons are still stored in the inventory, but they are now visible on the characters' bodies. This could also suggest that the inventory storage space could be limited in the new game.

The inventories of the two characters are kept separately.

The leaks contain more information but do not represent the final product. However, Rockstar Games is adamant on removing the leaked videos that are circulating online.

The consequences of these leaks are still unclear. The developers are reportedly devastated but no official statement has been given by Rockstar. The hacker has shown intent to sell source codes and confidential documents and stated that more leaks may appear later.

As of now, it is possible that the game's release date will be delayed and fans will have to wait more for the official release but very unlikely that the game will be canceled.

Tamjidul Hoque likes to talk about football and checks his emails from time to time, you can contact him at tamjidulh@gmail.com