GTA 6 leak debunk reveals the community's biggest problem

An early July 2021 Grand Theft Auto VI leak seemed to confirm a return to Vice City, a fan favorite setting. But the rumors were soundly debunked shortly thereafter. Situations like this happen in the video game industry all the time, but the ones tied to GTA 6 are starting to become particularly troublesome.

The community surrounding the series is so desperate for any sort of update on GTA 6’s development that people will go to great lengths to find some semblance of GTA 6 news — even if there isn’t anything there.

Rockstar Games has yet to confirm the existence of GTA 6, leading to much more speculation from a community starving for details. This recent leak is part of many paper-thin rumors not based in reality. But even still, this speculation has gone on for so long the rumors almost start to feel real.

The recent Vice City rumor was just one of many

There have been many leaks and rumors about GTA 6 over the last year or more, but one that gained a significant amount of traction recently pointed to the possible return of Vice City.

The leak featured a blurry video (which has become a cliché in the video game industry) of a supposed map featuring lots of landmarks and side activities to do within Vice City. The shaky footage was poor enough to create some sort of debate about its validity, but according to respected GTA leaker Tom Henderson, it isn’t real.

“I wouldn't expect any leaks like this for a couple of years,” Henderson wrote about the footage. This is in line with the game’s supposed launch window, which is still years away — possibly as early as 2025 — according to Henderson and Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier.

Even that window is unsubstantiated. Sure, its sources have positive track records, but given Rockstar’s silence, who knows when GTA 6 will actually launch.

In many cases, a community will grasp at straws when trying to glean information about an exciting new game. But with GTA 6 specifically, the number of hoops you have to jump through to believe some of the rumors that float around is unlike anything else, especially for a game that Rockstar has yet to acknowledge in any official capacity.

Rockstar Games has almost an otherworldly presence as a video game developer. It doesn’t play by the rules of others and does things on its own terms. After all, GTA V is the most profitable piece of entertainment in history, surpassing revenue generated by any film, TV show, or album. And for that, Rockstar has earned a lot of respect not just as a video game developer, but as a media creator.

What about GTA 6, in particular, is so appealing and exciting?

Since GTA III, the series has broken new ground for what a video game can do, whether that be the inclusion of a massive 3D open world, satirical writing, or a heartfelt story.

But beyond that, the series has always been in the midst of controversy due to its gratuitous violence, sexual themes, and pretty much everything that warrants its “Mature” rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).

It’s a cultural phenomenon that transcends the video game medium. Even people who generally don’t play video games can find interest in GTA.

Because of all these factors, excitement for a GTA V follow-up is through the roof, leading to a wide array of rumors that are almost assuredly all untrue. While it’s easy to understand why there’s so much excitement around the next game, the lengths some people are willing to go to are beyond what you’d see for anything else in the video game space.

Whether it’s someone wanting to be the first to break a story or more simply just wanting to know it first, the aura around GTA 6 is certainly unique. But the community tends to take things too far when it comes to speculation and rumors. This most recent debunk is proof of that.