\"I have GTA 6 early,\" he boasted. Then he begged for help with a virused computer

The wait for Grand Theft Auto VI has apparently driven some players to a state where they lose common sense. One Reddit user, with the vision of playing the game before its release, fell into a trap that even a less experienced enthusiast would have seen through. Instead of the anticipated early build, he downloaded malware that rendered his computer inoperable. The story quickly spread across some foreign websites.

He Boasted and Then Begged for Help

Reddit user with the nickname NotAGoat3 created a thread in the r/GTA6unmoderated subreddit, where he mocked skeptics and claimed that he had just gained early access to GTA VI. He attached a screenshot of an installer to the post, which resembled packages from a well-known pirate group. He told the community of 136 thousand weekly visitors that he would not give a copy of the game to anyone.

His confidence lasted until his next post appeared on Reddit, this time in the r/computerviruses community. There he admitted that after running a file from a supposedly trusted source, his computer started acting up. After a restart, logging into Windows took over a minute, the Windows key and search bar stopped working, and the mouse cursor behaved strangely.

Part of the community believes that user NotAGoat3 was making fun of others from the very beginning. Although the account has existed for several years and shows no signs of suspicious behavior, the description of the problems sounds suspiciously dramatic. Whatever the truth, one thing is certain: this story serves as a perfect illustration of what will likely happen more and more frequently around the release of GTA VI.

Game Hype is a Breeding Ground for Scammers

The practice of scammers exploiting the popularity of upcoming games is nothing new. We can recall, for example, the release of Fortnite on Android, before which the internet was flooded with fake APK files. Players who wanted to launch the game before Epic Games officially released it became easy targets for attackers. The same scenario has been repeated with many other titles, and it will be no different with GTA VI.

It is practically impossible for someone to have secretly taken a complete playable build from the well-guarded Rockstar Games studio. As Notebookcheck reminded, in March, hacker Arion Kurtaj, who is serving a sentence for an earlier leak of game footage, hinted that someone allegedly possesses the source code, but even then, a runnable game would not have been created.

\"I have GTA 6 early,\" he boasted. Then he begged for help with a virused computer Adam Kurfürst News Adam Kurfürst News

Files that will start appearing in the coming months on pirate forums and in random internet groups under the name GTA VI will most likely contain malware. We therefore strongly warn: wait for the official release and purchase the title to avoid risking your device being compromised and associated problems, such as the loss of login credentials or other data.

When Will the Game Actually Be Released?

According to current information, GTA VI is scheduled for release on November 19, 2026, initially on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles. The PC version has been delayed, and Rockstar Games has not yet confirmed its exact release date. This in itself is another reason to take fraudulent offers of “GTA VI free download” with a significant grain of salt.

The rule in this regard is simple: if something looks too good to be true, it usually isn’t. Before running any unknown installer, it’s worth verifying the source, checking the file with antivirus software, and if in doubt, it’s better to completely refrain from downloading.

Have you ever encountered a similar scam before the release of an anticipated game?

Sources: Notebookcheck, TheGamer, Reddit