NEW YORK: After days of embarrassing leaks that have exposed the unseen gaming environment inside the world's most expensive piece of content, the company behind the upcoming blockbuster video game Grand Theft Auto VI has apologised for its taciturn marketing strategy.
"We are very sorry that everything has taken as long as it has – from getting the game finished (nearly there!) to sharing more details and official gameplay, and providing the community with everything you want to know," developer Rockstar posted on social media.
The company will publish a new trailer – only the third since the first teaser was released in 2023 – on Netflix and YouTube on Aug 27.
However, the hype surrounding the trailer has been softened somewhat by a steady trickle of leaked footage that has given fans a glimpse of intellectual property that has been kept top secret.
"It would be an understatement to say that having videos of Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay leak in this way has been heartbreaking for our team, and this is obviously not how we intended for you to see the game after all this time," Rockstar added.
Critics have said Rockstar's tight-lipped approach to details from what is possibly the most highly anticipated video game of all time has left it vulnerable to leaked footage, now being widely viewed and shared on social media by fans.
The person behind the leaks has been posting extensive in-game footage daily from what appears to be a playable version of the game. The leaker remains anonymous, although German media have reported on speculation that the person may be from northern Germany.
Arriving more than a decade since its predecessor, the latest instalment in the cult series is due to be released on Nov 19. With an estimated budget of well over US$1bil (RM4.03bil), GTA VI is set to become the most expensive entertainment product ever made.
Grand Theft Auto is one of the best-known video game series in the world and was first released in 1997. The latest instalment is set in a fictional version of Miami. GTA V has sold more than 200 million copies since 2013.
Trailers released so far feature high-speed car chases, fast motorboats, beaches, weapons and crocodiles. GTA VI has been delayed twice, moving from an original target of autumn 2025 and later May 2026 before settling on the November launch date. – dpa
