GTA 6 Source Code Could Still Be Out There, Jailed Hacker Claims

GTA 6 fans have had a rough go of it lately. Two delays. A developer that communicates mostly through silence. And now this.

Arion Kurtaj, the hacker behind the seismic 2022 GTA 6 gameplay leak, has allegedly smuggled a phone into a UK prison. Screenshots of WhatsApp conversations involving Kurtaj began circulating online after being shared by videotechuk_ on X, and they paint an unsettling picture for Rockstar and anyone counting down to November 19.

In the messages, Kurtaj hints that GTA 6's source code is already in someone's possession. He reportedly expressed surprise it hasn't surfaced publicly yet, replied with a single word, "Interesting," and then said he would not comment further. Short, cryptic, and — knowing his history — deliberately provocative.

Worth noting: none of this has been confirmed by Rockstar Games, Take-Two Interactive, or UK prison authorities. The screenshots are unverified. Treat it that way.

Who Is Arion Kurtaj?

If the name doesn't ring a bell, a quick recap. Kurtaj, from Oxford, was a self-described "mastermind" of the Lapsus$ cybercrime group, which targeted the likes of Uber, Ubisoft, Nvidia, BT, and Microsoft before Rockstar became its highest-profile victim.

In 2022, while on bail for previous cyberattacks and with his laptop already confiscated by police, Kurtaj pulled off the Rockstar breach using an Amazon Fire TV Stick, a hotel television, and his mobile phone. He got into Rockstar's internal Slack workspace using compromised employee credentials, downloaded over 90 clips of early GTA 6 footage, and posted them publicly. It was one of the most significant leaks in gaming history.

The 2022 hack cost Rockstar roughly £1.2 million and thousands of hours in employee time.

Following his arrest, a jury found him guilty on multiple charges including fraud and hacking. He was deemed unfit to stand trial due to severe autism and received an indefinite hospital order. He has since been transferred to a conventional prison, where he reportedly smuggled in the phone used to make these latest claims.

What He's Actually Claiming

Screenshots show Kurtaj speaking with someone named Omar. Omar has since posted further screenshots of the conversation on Twitter, claiming multiple people have the GTA 6 source code. According to Omar, they are holding it back because they want Rockstar to release GTA 6 first before making it available.

Photos via a Snapchat account using Kurtaj's name also appeared showing him inside his prison cell. One selfie included text stating his phone was about to be seized, with the addition "I think will get another soon."

So the bloke is posting selfies from his cell and hinting at what amounts to a ticking time bomb for one of the most anticipated games ever made. Whether it's genuine or a wind-up, it's grabbed attention.

Why It Matters for GTA 6

If the source code were to leak, the consequences would be severe. A game's source code is its most sensitive piece of intellectual property, containing human-readable instructions that dictate every mechanic. A leak could allow DRM to be bypassed, animations cloned, and engine secrets exposed. Rockstar would almost certainly face further delays, potentially pushing the release back indefinitely. Marketing plans scheduled for summer 2026 would also be thrown into disarray.

A lot depends on how old the build is. If it's an early version from back in 2022, much of it will be irrelevant to the final game. But if it's a newer build containing content Rockstar has yet to reveal, the situation becomes far more damaging.

GTA 6 has already been delayed twice. The game shifted from a 2025 window to May 26, 2026, and then again to November 19, 2026. A third delay over a source code leak would be a genuinely catastrophic scenario for both Rockstar and the broader gaming calendar.

How Sceptical Should You Be?

Pretty sceptical, honestly. The only material in circulation right now is a set of unverified screenshots and messages attributed to Kurtaj. No major outlet or official body