The wait for a new video game can be agonizing. Trailers and interviews only go so far, leaving gamers hungry for information. Sometimes, that information arrives a little unexpectedly. Throughout history, leaks from angered developers, hackers, or even simple mistakes have revealed secrets about upcoming titles. While these leaks can be a headache for studios, they’ve also become a curious part of the gaming experience. Leaked details are often devoured with surprising excitement, and many beloved games have seen major information breaches before their official debuts. In this article, we dive into some of the biggest leaks in gaming ever.
1. Insomniac Games (2023)
In December 2023, Insomniac Games faced a massive data breach. Hackers leaked nearly a terabyte of information, including a playable build of their upcoming Wolverine game years ahead of schedule. This wasn’t all. The leak revealed Insomniac’s entire release schedule for the next decade, including upcoming titles such as Spider-Man 3 and a completely new X-Men game. The incident caused massive problems for the studio, as their development plans were jeopardized but not only that, as the safety of their employees was impacted due to leaked personal information. All of this makes it one of the biggest leaks in gaming.
2. Xbox FTC Leak (2022)
In an unexpected turn of events during the 2022 FTC filing for Microsoft’s Activision acquisition, confidential documents were accidentally uploaded by Microsoft. This leak exposed their upcoming Xbox games plan, including unannounced titles like Starfield and Avowed. The leak went beyond just games, revealing plans for a refreshed Xbox Series X console and a new controller. Over a dozen games in development across various studios like Bethesda and Arkane were also revealed. While this incident spoiled some surprises for Xbox fans, it offered a glimpse into the company’s plans, making it one of the biggest leaks in gaming.
3. The Last of Us Part II (2020)
In the months before its highly anticipated launch in 2020, The Last of Us Part II faced a series of leaks. These leaks revealed critical plot details and character deaths, leaving fans with a spoiled story experience. The leaks sparked online discussions and controversy, particularly around the game’s story choices. Despite the leaks, the game received critical acclaim upon release, but the controversy lingered for some fans.
4. Nintendo Gigaleak (2018)
The Gigaleak refers to leaks on 4chan between 2018-2021. The most significant leak occurred in July 2020, exposing sensitive Nintendo data. This included:
- Source code for both the SNES and N64 consoles.
- Information on unreleased games and prototypes for these consoles.
- Internal design documents used during game development.
- Developer tools employed by Nintendo during that era.
While a security breach for Nintendo, the leak provided valuable resources for video game emulation and preservation efforts.
5. Modern Warfare 3 (2011)
In May 2011, six months before release, a massive leak spoiled details about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Anonymous sources provided Kotaku with a treasure trove of information, including:
- Story details: Plot points and character fates were revealed, potentially impacting the game’s narrative impact.
- Gameplay specifics: Information on weapons, levels, and game modes offered a glimpse into the overall experience.
- Visuals: Leaked screenshots showcased environments and character models, dampening the element of surprise.
This leak was one of the biggest in gaming history at the time. It forced Activision, the game’s publisher, to scramble and release trailers earlier than planned to maintain player excitement.
6. Nintendo Switch Online Leak (2022)
In 2022, dataminers discovered leaked information about upcoming additions to the Nintendo Switch Online service. This leak revealed details about:
- New Emulators: The leak included files suggesting emulators for both the original Game Boy and Game Boy Advance consoles.
- Unannounced Games: A list of 40 potential Game Boy and Game Boy Advance titles was leaked, including popular franchises like Mario, Zelda, and Castlevania. It’s important to note that not all these games may be released, and they likely wouldn’t be available all at once.
This leak excited fans of retro games, hinting at the potential expansion of the Nintendo Switch Online library to include these handheld classics.
7. Half-Life 2 Leak (2003)
In 2003, just months before its official release, a major leak sent shockwaves through the gaming community. Fans discovered a playable version, dubbed “Half-Life 2: Beta,” which differed from the final product. Nevertheless, this leak offered a glimpse into the game’s development process:
- Early Build: The leaked version had a darker, more gothic aesthetic compared to the final game’s brighter tone.
- Unreleased Content: Enemy types absent from the final release were present in the leak, suggesting scrapped ideas or different choices.
- Story The leak hinted at a potentially different storyline with a more diverse setting, raising questions about narrative changes during development.
While the leaked beta was buggy and unfinished, it made fans eager to experience Half-Life 2. However, the leak also exposed a security breach within Valve’s servers, delaying the game’s final release. This unexpected delay allowed Valve to refine the game’s visuals, story, and overall experience.
8. GTA 6 Leaks (2019-2023)
Grand Theft Auto (GTA) as a franchise is immensely popular and each new release sparks great anticipation. In 2019 a GTA 6 leak sent shockwaves through the gaming community. Instead of an official announcement, we were served a historic leak in September of that year.
A user on GTAForums shared internal gameplay footage, revealing story missions, gameplay mechanics, and crucially, a return to the iconic Vice City setting. Fans even got a first look at a potential main character. This unprecedented leak forced Rockstar Games to confirm the development of GTA 6 and the legitimacy of the leak.
Leaks continued to plague GTA 6 in 2023. In December, a leak of the official trailer surfaced on social media, prompting Rockstar Games to release the trailer earlier than planned. The entire story around GTA 6 and how much information has leaked already makes it one of the biggest leaks in gaming ever.
