Take-Two Interactive Targets Discord and Microsoft in Sweeping GTA 6 Subpoena as Leaks Continue
Take-Two Interactive has filed a federal DMCA subpoena in the New York Southern District Court demanding records from Microsoft and Discord to unmask the identity of the ‘CyberLeek’ account. Matthew “Matt” Judge, known as DarkViperAU, was named in the court filings alongside his editors’ Discord server, though Judge has publicly denied any involvement or wrongdoing.
The Bottom Line
- The Legal Move: Take-Two issued a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) subpoena targeting Microsoft and Discord on August 20, seeking user records associated with the ‘CyberLeek’ account.
- The Creator’s Response: Australian GTA content creator Matthew “Matt” Judge (DarkViperAU), whose editors’ Discord was cited in the filing, firmly denied knowledge of the leaks and stated he has done nothing wrong.
- The Ongoing Leaks: Gameplay footage continued to emerge for a fourth consecutive day on August 21, featuring watermarks advertising a memecoin linked to a Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange.
Inside Take-Two’s Federal Court Filing and the Discord Connection
The legal pressure surrounding Rockstar Games’ parent company escalated when legal counsel for Take-Two Interactive lodged a formal request in federal court. According to court documentation first reported by Kotaku, the publisher is utilizing the DMCA subpoena process to hunt down the individual or individuals behind the recent wave of leaked Grand Theft Auto 6 gameplay material. The filing specifically requests identifying records from Microsoft and Discord concerning accounts linked to the ‘CyberLeek’ identifier.
Among the digital hubs flagged in the legal paperwork is a Discord server associated with Matthew Judge, who publishes content under the moniker DarkViperAU. Judge has 2.27 million subscribers on YouTube and nearly 900,000 followers on Twitch. Having produced several detailed breakdowns of the leaked media on his channels, Judge found himself unexpectedly thrust into the legal spotlight when his community server appeared in the court docket.
DarkViperAU Responds to Subpoena Mention on Livestream
Addressing the development directly, Judge took to streaming platforms to host a three-hour broadcast titled, “TakeTwo Has Subpoenad [sic] My Discord To Look For Leaker (News).” While acknowledging the surreal nature of seeing his name in a federal copyright filing, the creator maintained his innocence throughout the broadcast.
“I don’t know anything,” Judge insisted during the stream. “That isn’t my editors’ Discord. There aren’t even any clips of the leaks in either of my Discords.”
He added a touch of dark humor to the situation, joking that Rockstar Games had effectively “murdered” him before noting that he “got better.” Judge admitted to accidentally displaying a screenshot of a leaked video on stream before quickly removing and deleting it to avoid complications. “This has been an interesting time,” he said. “I’m sure I’m gonna be fine, guys. This is weird, but I’ve done nothing wrong. No-one’s done anything wrong. It’s just interesting. Definitely one for the history books. One more thing to add to my very very long, strange career.”
Neither company has issued a statement regarding the court filing, nor have Take-Two and Rockstar addressed the recent GTA 6 leaks.
Unabated Leaks and the Crypto Connection Ahead of Netflix Debut
Despite the aggressive legal maneuvers in the New York federal court, the leaks have refused to slow down. On August 21, the unauthorized footage stretched into a fourth consecutive day as another gameplay video surfaced online. Continuing a pattern observed in prior drops, the new video featured a promotional watermark for a memecoin. Forensic fans recently traced the digital token to a Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange, which might be used to identify the leaker. The watermark on the latest circulating clip bluntly read: “HIGHER MARKET CAP = MORE LEEKS.”
This digital turbulence arrives just days before the scheduled release of Grand Theft Auto 6: An Extended Look. That promotional showcase is slated to debut as a timed Netflix exclusive on Thursday, August 27. Viewers will be able to watch it exclusively on Netflix for a duration of six hours prior to its availability on YouTube and other services.
| Date | Event | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| August 20 | DMCA Subpoena Filed | Take-Two targets Microsoft and Discord in New York federal court for ‘CyberLeek’ records. DarkViperAU named via server association. |
| August 21 | Fourth Day of Leaks | New gameplay footage emerges featuring memecoin watermarks tied to a Seychelles exchange. DarkViperAU addresses the subpoena via livestream. |
| August 27 | Netflix Exclusive Release | Grand Theft Auto 6: An Extended Look launches as a six-hour timed exclusive on Netflix before arriving on YouTube. |
The Broader Industry Stakes for Major Publishers
The collision between federal copyright enforcement, content creators, and decentralized communication platforms highlights the immense security challenges facing modern blockbuster franchises. When billion-dollar IPs like Grand Theft Auto face sustained pre-release disruptions, publishers increasingly rely on sweeping legal instruments like DMCA subpoenas to pressure tech giants into turning over user data. Whether these judicial requests will successfully halt the dissemination of unreleased assets or merely drive underground communities further into obscurity remains an open question as August draws to a close.
What are your thoughts on Take-Two’s legal strategy and the ongoing community fallout? Let us know in the comments below.
