The industry scrambled to react Monday in the wake of the surprise release of the Grand Theft Auto VI trailer. Originally slated to arrive tomorrow at 9am ET / 6am PT, Rockstar’s big reveal had been one of gaming’s most anticipated moments of the year. Streamers, media outlets, and other content producers moved quickly to get their streams online, only to be hit with strikes and takedowns.
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Several major content producers, including Kinda Funny and IGN, found their trailers and streams unexpectedly blocked in the immediate aftermath of the release. Tiktok streams were automatically muted, possibly because of the trailer’s use of a copyrighted song in Tom Petty’s “Love is a Long Road.”
Some fans blamed Rockstar, but others pointed out that it seemed to be due to the algorithm on platforms like YouTube, which typically moderate licensed songs. Most reaction streams were able to be restored after a short interruption.
The strikes were one more symptom of the general chaos surrounding the sudden release of the GTA VI trailer, which followed a leak that appeared on X / Twitter on Monday afternoon. Shortly after the leak, Rockstar opted to push the trailer live, forcing media outlets and content creators alike to move sooner than expected.
As expected, the GTA VI trailer confirmed that the series will be return to Vice City, and that it will feature the franchise’s first female protagonist in Lucia. It is currently slated for release in 2025, though PC was not among the listed platforms.
IGN’s own coverage in the wake of the GTA VI trailer’s release is ongoing. Keep an eye on all of our channels as we continue to release trailer reax, breakdowns, and much more.
Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.