GTA 6 developers angry over trailer leak

After weeks of anticipation, the first GTA VI trailer leaked online several hours ahead of its official debut. Rockstar responded quickly, officially releasing the trailer in its high-quality glory, but many developers and industry peers have expressed disappointment at the internet's inability to be patient.

In several tweets - some of which are now deleted - the team behind GTA VI took to Twitter and other social media with a mixture of disappointment and anger. Rockstar graphics programmer Angel Ortiz shared his feelings, saying "I'm actually not going to watch this until I'm in the office with the people I made this with, and who worked so f***ing hard to make it happen."

Righteous fury was directed at the leakers by Nes Can, a developer at Rockstar North. "Wish the surprise wasn't ruined by absolute c***s (we all hate you)", they posted, following the tweet up with a more positive "I love my team, I love this industry, I am so proud of us."

The team at Rockstar weren't the only ones chiming in, with other games industry professionals empathising. Ted Timmins, Warzone's senior creative director, added "Leaks suck and spoil not just the player experience and surprise of the reveal, but also all the time, hard work and planning that the team put into it. Do better."

The well-earned contempt for leakers is clear with a tweet from Rockstar's official account, reading: "Our trailer has leaked, so please watch the real thing on YouTube." 2023 has been a turbulent year for the industry, and with so many losing their jobs, it's been a real shame that an otherwise triumphant moment was spoiled.

Read More: GTA VI won't be coming to PC at launch

While the circumstances of its early release were soul-crushing, it's clear that the internet is loving their first look at the game. At time of writing, the trailer has 64 million YouTube views and over seven million likes - we, for one, hope this lifts the developers spirits (and can't wait to start playing 2025.)