The 5 biggest video game leaks that shook the industry

Leaks are a constant threat in the video game industry, where timing and surprise are crucial for studios wanting a successful release. When confidential information spills ahead of schedule, be it gameplay footage, storyline details, or entire builds, it doesn’t just spoil surprises. It also causes chaos for the developers, damages the studios' reputation, and spoils the game for their communities, as well as creates legal battles and PR nightmares.

5 Half‑Life 2 (2003)

The source code that shook Valve to its core

In early October 2003, a German hacker named Axel Gembe exploited a flaw in Microsoft Outlook to access Valve’s internal network. He obtained the unfinished Source Engine code on October 2nd and an early build of Half-Life 2 by October 7th, both of which were quickly distributed on forums and other platforms. The leak plunged Valve into crisis mode. Gabe Newell publicly asked for help in tracking down the culprit and even worked with the FBI on a sting operation involving a fake job interview.

Though Gembe never traveled to the U.S., he was eventually arrested in Germany. Internally at Valve, morale was at an all-time low, the game's development pipeline was shifted, and the team implemented much stricter security measures ahead of the game's eventual 2004 release. Valve's experience reshaped how modern studios approach network security and employee access, making it one of the most educational breaches in game development history.

4 Pokémon Sword & Shield (2019)

Discord datamines and early builds leaked

Leading up to Pokémon Sword & Shield’s November 2019 release, unreleased assets and designs began circulating on Discord and 4chan. An early 2018 build revealed dozens of Pokémon designs, the entire Pokédex, the lack of a national dex, and the game's maps. Fans were upset over reused animations, stripped-down content, and the removal of the National Pokédex, leading to a massive community backlash and giving traction to the #BringBackNationalDex campaign. In addition to a subsequent boycott of the game dubbed “Dexit.”

The Pokémon Company filed legal actions against multiple Discord users, with the lawsuit eventually settling in 2021 and being awarded $150,000 in damages per user. Producer Junichi Masuda issued statements to address community backlash, but the incident had already caused too much controversy, and it shifted public opinion about the game before launch.

3 The Last of Us Part II (2020)

Story spoilers force Sony to push the game early

On April 27, 2020, more than an hour of gameplay and some major cutscenes from The Last of Us Part II leaked online. Shared across forums and video platforms, the footage exposed major plot points, including Joel’s story arc, Ellie’s motivations, and a mid-game character shift. While many people often beg for leaks, no one really wanted the whole game spoiled before it was even released.

Sony pushed the release to June 19 and launched a focused marketing campaign in response. Neil Druckmann, co-director, acknowledged the damage it had done to the development team and emphasized that the full weight of the game remained intact for those who wanted to play it firsthand. While many were able to stave off having the games spoiled for them, others were not as fortunate and ended up seeing leaks on the internet or on social media.

2 Grand Theft Auto VI (2022)

The bigger they are, the harder they fall

On September 18, 2022, fifty minutes of in-development GTA VI footage appeared on GTAForums, posted by a hacker using the alias "teapotuberhacker." The breach reportedly stemmed from access to Rockstar’s Slack and Confluence platforms. The hacker also claimed to possess the source code for both GTA V and GTA VI.

Rockstar confirmed the network intrusion and spent thousands of staff hours addressing the fallout. Take-Two Interactive’s stock dipped by over 6% in early trading. The company later reported $5 million in costs tied to remediation. UK police arrested a 17-year-old affiliated with the hacking group Lapsus$, linking the incident to a string of high-profile corporate intrusions.

1 Fallout 4 (2015)

On August 12, 2015, unauthorized footage from a behind-closed-doors Fallout 4 demo at Gamescom surfaced on a popular adult site. The handheld recording showed rough early-game combat and UI elements. Bethesda responded swiftly with DMCA takedown requests, managing to scrub the footage from YouTube, Reddit, and gaming forums.

However, Pornhub’s slower moderation and unique hosting policies allowed the video to remain accessible for days, amplifying its visibility. The incident became a punchline across gaming communities but posed a real challenge for Bethesda’s PR team, which was unprepared for a leak appearing on an adult site.

It's becoming harder to avoid leaks

Each of these leaks damaged the related studios, disrupted game launches, and even spoiled entire storylines. For fans, avoiding spoilers has become like walking through a minefield on most platforms. For studios, airtight internal security and communication protocols are more critical than ever.