Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Saros review
  • Arc Raiders
  • The Boys S5
  • Best turn-based RPGs
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
  • Delta Force giveaway
Don't miss these
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 could sell 45 million copies on PS5 in its first week, Baldur's Gate 3 publishing lead says
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 was delayed to avoid crunch, Take-Two CEO says, comparing working at Rockstar to college
Elizabeth cries in BioShock Infinite
Bioshock BioShock 4 delay "disappointed" Take-Two CEO, who thinks the studio "wasted a lot of time"
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 skipping PC at launch not due to PlayStation deal, but to focus on "the core consumer"
GTA 6 protagonists Lucia and Jason stand poised for a confrontation, with both of them holding a gun while Lucia also carries a briefcase
Action Games GTA 6: Everything we know so far
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 devs aim for "perfection," and Take-Two tries to give "unlimited" resources to do so, CEO says
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 should be $80 so the whole "struggling" industry can raise game prices, Bank of America says
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto Take-Two CEO eases GTA 6 delay fears, says "a lot of people will be calling in sick on November 19"
Two GTA 6 characters gasp at a phone screen
Grand Theft Auto It's been exactly 1 year since GTA 6 Trailer 2, and fans are being as normal as you'd expect
Cloud half-smiles in Final Fantasy 7 Remake
Final Fantasy Final Fantasy 7 Return rumors are such nonsense they're taking me back to ridiculous '90s "leaks"
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 isn't "even at risk" of having product placement "because all the brands are made up"
GTA 6 characters from trailer 2
Grand Theft Auto Former GTA 6 artist "can't wait" for Trailer 3, but warns the final game won't look exactly like that
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 launch has Take-Two's CEO a "billion" times more "scared" than any other game release
GTA 6 characters from trailer 2
Grand Theft Auto Wondering why GTA 6 Trailer 3 is taking so long? Rockstar answered that question 14 years ago
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto Wait for GTA 6 trailer 3 nears 1 year, but Take-Two boss says Rockstar will spin up marketing "soon"
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Action Games
  3. Grand Theft Auto
  4. GTA 6

GTA 6 prankster comes clean after response to viral 'leak' was "way bigger than I expected"

News
By Anthony McGlynn published 18 March 2026

He even used Rockstar's own approach

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

GTA 6 characters from trailer 2
(Image credit: Rockstar Games / Take-Two)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
0
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

You should take most leaks with a grain of salt, but especially anything visual from a release as locked down as GTA 6. Alas, someone managed to make a convincing replication of Rockstar's upcoming blockbuster, to the point of gaining major coverage, and they've now owned the hoax, and explained how they did it.

Earlier this month, an apparent leak of Grand Theft Auto 6 showing one of the protagonists, Jason, on a bridge passing several vehicles was uploaded to a mysterious and now-deleted Instagram account. The source claimed it was from someone who worked at their studio - the 'my uncle's friend knows someone, honest!' schtick - and naturally, it travelled like wildfire.

It was all nonsense, and its creator, known as tenshi, came clean in a video and adjoining Reddit AMA. "My main goal was to see if I could actually create a believable-looking scene from GTA 6 by recreating everything from the ground up," he states on Reddit. "Honestly, the response was way bigger than I ever anticipated."

Latest Videos From
You may like
  • GTA 6 protagonists Lucia and Jason stand poised for a confrontation, with both of them holding a gun while Lucia also carries a briefcase GTA 6: Everything we know so far
  • GTA 6 characters from trailer 2 Wondering why GTA 6 Trailer 3 is taking so long? Rockstar answered that question 14 years ago
  • GTA 6 With GTA 6 PC release unconfirmed, Rockstar leak suggests GTA Online gets 97% of cash from consoles
YouTube YouTube
Watch On

I'll say. It's an impressive piece of work for one person. The setting for his scene is Venetian Bridge in Miami, a smart choice since the game's backdrop is Leonidas, a fictionalized version of Florida that may, indeed, include a version of the same bit of architecture.

"This wasn't just a simple edit," he adds. "I spent months rebuilding a specific fragment of Miami, recreating the UI and spending way too many hours on the post-processing to make it look authentic. I even scrapped my first few versions because they just didn't feel right."

In his video, he goes deeper on his design MO, including how he made it feel like something from a desk at the home of GTA and Red Dead Redemption. "Since we're aiming for that early build look, I'm leaning into Rockstar's playbook and reusing assets," tenshi says.

"I grabbed a truck from GTA 5, but to really sell it, I slapped on a custom Piswasser livery. It's exactly the kind of detail that gets the internet talking." Oh, how right you were. Rockstar has the opportunity to do something very funny here, and it'd be even better if it was part of the third trailer. Until then, this is another reminder - always be wary.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Ahead of GTA 6, Rockstar-owned GTA 5 RP mega mod FiveM breaks its own Steam record with 200,000 concurrent players

TOPICS
Rockstar Games
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming PS5 Xbox Series X Platforms PlayStation Xbox
Anthony McGlynn
Anthony McGlynn
Social Links Navigation
Contributing Writer

Anthony is an Irish entertainment and games journalist, now based in Glasgow. He previously served as Senior Anime Writer at Dexerto and News Editor at The Digital Fix, on top of providing work for Variety, IGN, Den of Geek, PC Gamer, and many more. Besides Studio Ghibli, horror movies, and The Muppets, he enjoys action-RPGs, heavy metal, and pro-wrestling. He interviewed Animal once, not that he won’t stop going on about it or anything.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
GTA 6 protagonists Lucia and Jason stand poised for a confrontation, with both of them holding a gun while Lucia also carries a briefcase
Action Games GTA 6: Everything we know so far
 
 
GTA 6 characters from trailer 2
Grand Theft Auto Wondering why GTA 6 Trailer 3 is taking so long? Rockstar answered that question 14 years ago
 
 
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto With GTA 6 PC release unconfirmed, Rockstar leak suggests GTA Online gets 97% of cash from consoles
 
 
GTA 6 characters from trailer 2
Grand Theft Auto Former GTA 6 artist "can't wait" for Trailer 3, but warns the final game won't look exactly like that
 
 
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 sleuths deduce that Rockstar North's likely spent over $2 billion making the game
 
 
Two bikers posing with a revolver and a motorbike in Grand Theft Auto 6 area Ambrosia
Grand Theft Auto Hackers behind GTA 6 maker Rockstar Games' latest breach say they're releasing the stolen data
 
 
Latest in Grand Theft Auto
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 was delayed to avoid crunch, Take-Two CEO says, comparing working at Rockstar to college
 
 
Two GTA 6 characters gasp at a phone screen
Grand Theft Auto It's been exactly 1 year since GTA 6 Trailer 2, and fans are being as normal as you'd expect
 
 
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 could sell 45 million copies on PS5 in its first week, Baldur's Gate 3 publishing lead says
 
 
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 should be $80 so the whole "struggling" industry can raise game prices, Bank of America says
 
 
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 devs aim for "perfection," and Take-Two tries to give "unlimited" resources to do so, CEO says
 
 
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 skipping PC at launch not due to PlayStation deal, but to focus on "the core consumer"
 
 
Latest in News
Psychonauts
Xbox First-party Xbox studio Double Fine is unionizing
 
 
Black and white shot of stunned Fortnite character
Battle Royale Games Epic knows everyone's afraid "AI is going to take all our jobs," but the goal is efficiency
 
 
Nintendo Nintendo Switch 2 YouTube hack yanked days after players find a way to watch videos in a free battle royale game
 
 
Baldur's Gate 3 screenshot showing Withers, a mummified corpse-like man with gray features and golden adornments
Baldur's Gate One Baldur's Gate 3 fan is on a mission to complete the weirdest collection in the RPG
 
 
Imogen Poots in Outer Range
Comedy Shows Chronology of Water and Stranger Things stars set to lead new TV show based on popular comic
 
 
Exodus screenshot
RPGs Mass Effect hasn't been great in "a long time," but Exodus can fill the gap according to Hasbro CEO
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Kill Team: Terror on Devlan Red Terror model against a dark background
    1
    Kill Team Terror on Devlan is a gripping solo or co-op Warhammer challenge that truly tests your mettle
  2. 2
    First-party Xbox studio Double Fine is unionizing
  3. 3
    Out of respect for Slippy Toad, I need you to play the OG Star Fox 64 on an actual N64
  4. 4
    Nintendo Switch 2 YouTube hack yanked days after players find a way to watch videos in a free battle royale game
  5. 5
    Epic knows everyone's afraid "AI is going to take all our jobs," but Fortnite dev insists the goal of AI "is to make us more efficient"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...