The infamous hacker behind the 2022 GTA 6 leaks is back in the news – and this time from behind bars.
Arion Kurtaj, also known online as teapotuberhacker, has reportedly smuggled a phone into his prison cell in the UK, and has wasted little time in stirring up chaos around one of the most anticipated games in history.
The infamous hacker managed to obtain a smartphone in prison, and a conversation soon surfaced in which he discussed stolen GTA 6 source code.
The development has set the gaming world on edge, with many fearing the implications for Rockstar Games and the long-awaited release of Grand Theft Auto VI.
Who Is Arion Kurtaj? The Lapsus$ Hacker Behind the GTA 6 Leaks
For those unfamiliar with the name, Kurtaj’s history of cybercrime is as audacious as it is extensive.
Kurtaj, from Oxford, was dubbed the “mastermind” of the Lapsus$ cybercrime gang, which hacked into the likes of Uber, Ubisoft, Revolut, BT, and graphics card maker NVIDIA.
The Rockstar Games breach, however, remains his most notorious act.
While on bail awaiting sentencing for previous cyberattacks and despite having his laptop confiscated, Kurtaj carried out the Grand Theft Auto hack using an Amazon Fire TV Stick, a hotel television, and his mobile phone.
He breached the company’s internal messaging system and threatened to release the source code if Rockstar did not contact him within 24 hours.
He then publicly posted code and clips of the video game shortly thereafter.
The infamous 2022 GTA 6 leaks saw hours of confidential gameplay footage emerge online – countless clips featuring an in-development version of Vice City, as well as essential gameplay mechanics, did the rounds online for weeks.
A British jury convicted Kurtaj and another teen, who were members of the international hacking group Lapsus$, for hacking, fraud, and extortion.
The judge presiding over the case ruled that Kurtaj should be placed in a secure hospital, with doctors deeming him, who is severely autistic, unfit to stand trial.
He has since been transferred to a conventional prison.
Leaked WhatsApp Messages Suggest GTA 6 Source Code Is “Out There”
The new drama centres on a set of leaked WhatsApp messages that have been circulating online, first brought to attention by X user videotechuk_.
According to the post, Kurtaj has claimed that the source code for GTA 6 is allegedly in the wild but hasn’t been leaked yet.
In the leaked chat, Kurtaj seems surprised that the GTA 6 source code hasn’t leaked yet, while mentioning that it’s out there somewhere.
He put a pin on the discussion by labelling the situation as “Interesting,” before stating that he won’t comment any further.
In separate chats, Kurtaj seemingly confirmed that he’s behind bars and even shared images from within a prison cell.
In one message thread, he and others in the group chatted about the game’s source code being out in the open and discussed that the individual who has it has not leaked it yet.
What Would a GTA 6 Source Code Leak Actually Mean?
The implications of a source code leak, if Kurtaj’s claims are genuine, could be severe.
A game’s source code is a crucial piece of intellectual property, containing human-readable instructions written by developers that dictate every single mechanic.
If this material were to leak, the affected game could see its DRM bypassed, its animations cloned, and its engine secrets exposed.
If the source code were to leak, the GTA 6 release date would almost certainly be pushed back further, and the game could even be delayed indefinitely.
Marketing plans set to start in the summer could also be thrown into chaos if any such material were to surface publicly.
For a game that has already faced enormous pressure and scrutiny, the last thing Rockstar needs is another major security incident.
Should GTA 6 Fans Be Worried?
It is worth applying a significant degree of scepticism here. There is a strong chance that Arion, along with others in the group chat, could be spreading false information about GTA 6’s source code being out in the wild.
The hacker could have orchestrated the discussion and leaked it to create waves of chaos among fans.
Kurtaj has a documented history of escalating situations for attention and leverage, and the online poker game of “I know something you don’t” is a well-worn manipulation tactic.
Whether the source code is truly in circulation, or whether this is another calculated attempt to rattle Rockstar and the GTA community, remains to be seen.
What is certain is that Kurtaj’s ability to continue generating headlines from within a prison cell – after smuggling in a phone, no less – is a remarkable, if deeply unsettling, testament to his persistence.
Rockstar Games has not publicly commented on the latest developments at the time of writing.
