Creator of viral AI-made GTA 6 gameplay speaks up amid backlash: “It was a huge joke”

What was presented as newly leaked gameplay of GTA 6 was going viral across social media. However, it turned out to be AI-generated, and the creator has now addressed backlash, stating it was meant as nothing more than a “huge joke.”

It’s been 12 years since the last GTA game. Having been delayed again to November 19, 2026, the wait for GTA 6 has only become more excruciating. As such, avid fans are always clamoring for any scrap of new information on the highly anticipated sequel.

When a ‘leak’ pops up, millions quickly flock to it in hopes of seeing something new. They’re not always presented with something authentic, though.

That was the case with a series of viral clips that gained traction on November 25, 2026. These looks at Rockstar’s next evolution of the open-world genre proved to be AI-generated, however, triggering a wave of backlash. The creator has now spoken up and commented on the matter through IGN.

AI-generated GTA 6 ‘leaks’ were only meant to be a “joke”

A number of AI-generated ‘gameplay’ snippets were first shared on the ‘zapactugta6’ account on X (formerly Twitter). They have since been deleted, but we saw a few of them before they were taken down.

The most viral of them all was a brief video showing Lucia, GTA 6’s female protagonist, walking outside in the rain. This one drew millions of impressions in a matter of hours, but it was just one of multiple ‘leaks.’

Before long, a Community Note was added to the Lucia video, warning fans the footage may not be legitimate. This led to plenty of hostility in the replies, as the community debated the clip’s authenticity.

Now, we know for certain the footage was all completely fake. Each video was generated with AI, but its creator claimed there was no malicious intent behind it.

The videos were made to “observe people’s reactions and to demonstrate how easy it has become in 2025 to blur the line between reality and AI-generated content,” they said.

“I genuinely never expected a single video to generate such massive engagement and reach.

“It was a huge joke actually, I did it just to entertain the community. Sorry for the false hope lol.”

While GTA 6 suffered one of the biggest leaks in gaming history back in 2022, as dozens of gameplay clips spilled out online, Rockstar has been extremely vigilant since, sharing just two official trailers.

There’s no word on when we might actually see proper GTA 6 gameplay, especially now that the game’s release has been pushed back once again.