Digital rights and consumer protection group Stop Killing Games (SKG) has issued a strong condemnation of the individuals responsible for the recent Grand Theft Auto 6 leaks, labeling their actions as "destructive" and "illegal." The leaks, which surfaced with links to a website and a cryptocurrency coin, were used by the hacking group Cyberleek to promote their agenda.
Moritz Katzner, Director General of SKG, stated on the r/StopKillingGames subreddit that users should "not send these people your money, no matter how much sympathy you may feel for their actions." He emphasized that the use of illegal means to convey a message is unacceptable and does not align with SKG's goals of protecting consumer rights and game preservation.
Cyberleek's manifesto includes demands for "offline fallback states" for single-player games, asserting that consumers should retain access to content even after online servers are decommissioned. The group claims its promoted cryptocurrency is intended to fund a "secret project" aimed at targeting publishers who violate their stated commandments.
SKG, which advocates for change through legitimate legal channels, expressed concern that the hackers' methods could negatively influence public perception and political discourse surrounding the gaming community. Katzner explained that SKG felt it was important to publicly address Cyberleek's tactics to ensure that "politicians to whom towards we want to make [an] impression of being reasonable" do not associate the broader gaming community with the hackers' actions.
The organization also voiced empathy for the developers at Rockstar Games, noting that the ongoing ordeal impacts the thousands of individuals who worked diligently on the project. SKG's stance highlights a division within the community regarding the methods used to advocate for consumer rights in the gaming industry, with SKG firmly rejecting the use of illegal activities and illicit financial schemes.