The boss of Rockstar parent company Take-Two has responded to the threat of AI-assisted reverse-engineering and decompilation of games ahead of the crucial launch of GTA 6.
As you've probably seen from various viral clips on social media, people are using AI to create clones of popular games and release them on platforms they're not normally available on. We've seen everything from Minecraft playable inside X/Twitter to modders crashing Minecraft and Elden Ring together. Indeed, last month, Rockstar's own Grand Theft Auto 5 was made playable in a browser before it was pulled offline.
Seemingly in response, Anthropic issued an update for Claude that made it harder for people to use the AI model to generate video game clones. But there is perhaps a greater concern: that GTA 6 could pop up on PC soon after it hits PlayStation and Xbox in unofficial form.
While there is some scepticism about the true threat here, recent discussions around tools like Claude have sparked speculation that AI can quickly decompile or recompile complex console games like GTA 6 into PC ports. And some believe the AI threat could force Rockstar into changing its plans.
In an interview with IGN sister site RPS last week, former Rockstar North technical director Obbe Vermeij said that Rockstar Games may be keen to port GTA 6 to PC as soon as possible, due to the explosion of AI-generated clones and ports.
Some of this concern has to do with the security of the PS5, with Sony seemingly engaged in a game of Whac-a-Mole with hackers who are trying to jailbreak the latest firmware ahead of the release of GTA 6. If a PS5 jailbreak is made available for the firmware that is required by GTA 6 to run, it may be possible for Rockstar’s game to be pirated on PS5 and subsequently made available on PC.
IGN asked Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two, about this existential threat in a recent interview — and it’s fair to say he’s taking it seriously, while also insisting that fans will prefer to play GTA 6 officially, with all its bells and whistles as Rockstar intended, over an unofficial PC version.
IGN: We've seen hackers using AI to clone games much faster than ever before, even try to jailbreak consoles. And there is some concern about this leading to potentially GTA 6 being made available on PC unofficially or places that you aren't releasing it. I was just wondering how much of a threat this is to your business? And, is there anything meaningful you can do about it?
Strauss Zelnick: I don't think it’s a financial matter, in terms of a threat to our business. I do think it’s a creative matter. It's important to everyone, our developers and our consumers alike, to deliver the experience Rockstar envisions. And at the same time, of course, we protect our intellectual property vigilantly. So we are focused on these concerns. We're not in the least cavalier about them.
Technology is advancing quickly. And at the same time, I do think that pretty much everyone wants the Rockstar experience as Rockstar intended.
IGN: Related, last week Anthropic confirmed they took steps to block Claude from reverse engineering video games. I would assume you would welcome that. And would you like to see other AI companies like OpenAI do the same thing to prevent people from using these powerful AI models to clone your games?
Strauss Zelnick: I think all companies should be protecting intellectual property, their own and everyone else's. And if you're in the intellectual property business…
