GTA 6 leaks: Leaks, the biggest scourge of the video game industry? Implications for developers…

game news GTA 6 leaks: Leaks, the biggest scourge of the video game industry? Implications for developers…

It’s no secret: Rockstar Games was hacked. The perpetrators, actively wanted, have decided to post no less than 90 videos of working versions of Grand Theft Auto VI on the internet, threatening more action if arrangements are not found quickly. We’re talking about the source code for Grand Theft Auto V and VI, which, if leaked, would change the fortunes of not just Rockstar, but the industry as a whole.

Why are leaks painful for developers?

Many of them said they have no scruples or emotions about a big company like Rockstar/Take-Two. Too bad the leaks, these giants will recover, right? But these people forget a small detail: it is not the big guys who are directly affected by this business.Maybe their dividend income will be a little less or they will have to deal with a crisis situation, but Whether it’s GTA VI or all other exploits, it’s the developers who really suffer the consequences of these leaks. the reason is simple: These games are their baby.

A leak is first and foremost stolen information and/or data. These are the results of months or even years of hard work by dozens, hundreds or even thousands of people. In the case of GTA VI, the developers have been working on the game in secret for at least five years. It’s sad (or annoyed, you choose) to see him released in the wild, not in the best of conditions. See how developers react to every leak on Twitter: it hurts! Especially since the announcement is so for developers as well as players who have lost the element of surprise.

It’s like you show up to a few friends and you see a piece of paper on the hospital table that says they’re going to have a baby and the sex of the baby, and you start tweeting around the world {…} you have Just stole the joy from them…

Video game industry veteran Aymar Azaïzia on PlayStation Inside

With this latest incident, developers have become louder than usual on the issue. So much so that some deliberately refused to speak up and spread the leak, while others reconsidered their decision to do so. It has to be said that Grand Theft Auto 6 was leaked enough to resonate with a certain degree of resonance, just like The Last of Us Part 2 at the time had the right to use shields to protect history and the surprise of the game. It’s a good start, except that this preferential treatment is only granted to privileged bands, so it also creates problems.

Rarely will they complain about Jason Schreier’s leaks (he still has the grace to discuss with the studio before releasing anything) or the traditional leaks of the next Assassin’s Creed. While this may not seem as significant and disruptive as the bigger leak, it’s just as painful for developers. Let’s imagine. It’s no longer pleasant to see your game leaked all over the internet, but it’s even harder when you’re also one of the „acceptable“ leakers. Especially since the blows are both mental and physical, with specific effects on working conditions.

The party that hurts us {…} is saying to ourselves „we and everyone before us, we’re all shit?!“ {…}I don’t know if you realize how developers feel, how they’re treated way, they feel like disrespected shit because „you know what, developers who deserve our respect, and others“

Aymar Azaïzia on TheSharePlayers (especially reacting to „special treatment“ in The Last of Us Part II)

Austerity and working conditions

Yes, leaks can have a real impact on the working conditions of developers. Because whoever says leaks, says security breaches first. To prevent this from happening again, we have therefore tightened the rules even more. So remote work, which is so precious to everyone today, is limited and freedom is even more limited. Today, when developing a game or testing a game (QA), it’s not uncommon to leave your phone at the entrance or go through a security gate to check that you can’t output information via a USB key. There is a whole protocol to follow, more or less depending on the studio. Of course, after such an event, the latter is bound to get tough.

For GTA VI, note that Rockstar Games has also been singled out for its working conditions. Aside from austerity, Rockstar Lincoln’s safety regulations are particularly stringent. Last I heard, working conditions in the studio were moving in the right direction. But it’s also fair to say that because of these leaks, the risk of a return to the past is being imposed.

In fact, many games have been heavily reworked after leaks. That means many hours of extra work, potential crunch, and all in a noxious atmosphere. Because when information leaks from the inside, that of course affects the trust of the team and all those concerned about the leaked game. Who is the mole? Where did she come from? developer? reporter? marketing personnel? Suspicion is orderly, but it worsens working conditions, but also trust and communication between different layers of the industry (different development departments within the studio, media, marketing, etc.). If leaks affect developers so much, it’s because they add extra pressure and can have dire consequences for a game’s release.

Delays, cancellations… the consequences of the game itself

Let’s take GTA VI as an example again. The videos that have been made public are from working versions and definitely not dedicated to work, some dating back to 2017. This definitely does not represent the final title. However, that didn’t stop the players from shouting fouls, „Ugly Game“. A lack of visibility into the game’s different stages of development and uncontrolled leaks is how a game that hasn’t been officially announced is jeopardized. That’s already having an impact on the company’s stock price, and could have an impact on sales when the game launches. Plus, it’s impossible to make a truly impressive announcement after a leak like this, and you’re getting the long-awaited game that still has significant hurdles. This is rarely an advantage for players.

Faced with a flood of leaks, the studio has decided to completely change their strategy. Half-Life 2 was delayed as a result, and when the latter leaked, Nintendo simply chose to cancel its project to adapt The Legend of Zelda into a Netflix series. As for GTA 6, be aware that an extension will definitely be considered if the game’s source code leaks. So the consequences are very real, which is why in this case it’s important to talk about everything that leaks usually bring.

People who love video games and play them. For them, leaking is a lack of respect, and you have to keep that in mind.Then everyone is free to make their own choices: respect the developer’s wishes, and trust that everyone who wants to do so has the right to know what was leaked and what became complete information Even try to find your place by finding a balance between the two. The situation is not Manichaeism, far from it, but it is important to grasp the elements of action in any situation and understand that we all have a role to play in the relationship between game worlds. Video and leaks.

I think there’s an overwhelming majority of people involved in the system and a huge percentage of people who don’t realize the harm they’re doing and how important they are to something.

GaGzZz (WolfEye Studios) on TheSharePlayers

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