The 18-year-old who pulled off the GTA 6 leak from a hotel room

Ever fumbled with hotel Wi-Fi? Now imagine doing way worse. That’s what 18-year-old Arion Kurtaj did, while under police protection at a Travelodge, with his laptop already confiscated. Instead, he turned an Amazon Fire TV Stick, a hotel TV, a keyboard, a mouse, and his phone into tools of choice. With this setup, he managed to break into Rockstar’s internal Slack accounts and make off with far more than bragging rights.

When GTA 6 gameplay erupted online

In September 2022, using the name "TeaPotUberHacker," Kurtaj leaked more than 90 clips of early GTA 6 beta footage online. The clips, showing rough GTA 6 gameplay, spread like wildfire across forums and social media. Fans were thrilled, critics picked apart every detail, and Rockstar confirmed the leaks were authentic. Overnight, one of gaming’s most tightly guarded projects became the internet’s favorite spoiler.

Behind the scenes of Rockstar’s scramble

Fans were buzzing; Rockstar was scrambling. Picture trying to sweep up a glitter spill—that’s what managing the GTA 6 leaks looked like. Takedown notices flew out to websites, YouTube channels, and gaming forums, but the clips kept bouncing around. The financial fallout wasn’t small either. The company reportedly faced millions in costs and thousands of hours lost to repairing the mess.

Courtroom drama with a mental-health twist

Kurtaj, who has severe autism, was ruled unfit to stand trial in the usual way. The jury only had to decide if he committed the acts, and the answer was clear. Doctors reported he’d been violent in custody and remained eager to continue hacking. As a result, a judge ordered him to an indefinite stay in a secure hospital, where he’ll remain until experts decide he no longer poses a risk.

Why this tale matters to all of us

A teenager, a hotel room, and a few off-the-shelf gadgets rattled one of the world’s biggest gaming studios. These GTA 6 leaks weren’t just gossip; they showed how fragile digital security can be. For the rest of us? Maybe stick to unlocking side quests on your console instead of in real life.