The damage of leaks in the software and games industry
It has been one week since the most expected trailer in history was released. Yes, we are talking about Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA6). Knowing how popular this game franchise is, all the controversy it causes and the several leaks that Rockstar Games has suffered lately, I think it's also fair to stop talking about development and scrutinise what happens after a data leak (where "data" doesn't mean Personal Identifiable Information).
For all fans of one of the most profitable franchises of all times (there are only a few that can cause such expectations), the leaks of the upcoming GTA6 game would have been perceived as a blessing, as it was an opportunity to get "first hand" information about the upcoming game.
However, for a company - and especially for their software engineers (including game developers) - experiencing a leak for an upcoming work is one of the most feared and damaging experiences.
Have you ever considered what happens after experiencing a data leak for one of your products or services that is expected for most of your customers? Have you ever considered what are the damaging consequences of such acts? The short answer is:
- Disclosure of any size for intellectual property (IP);
- Employees being fired or sanctioned for being responsible for that leak, for their negligence as it led to the leak itself or due to the incapacity to keep operating after suffering a leak;
- Employees suffering from considerable penalties due to the leak (position, responsibilities, pay cut, etcetera);
- Under-development products or services might be cancelled due to the leak itself or caused by the wrong impression the potential customers get from an unfinished product;
- The launch of potentially similar products from competitors after knowing all the unknown aspects that were now revealed through the leaks affected the sales of the leaked product.
In this tech world era we live in, it's imperative not only for companies (and I am sure that Rockstar Games is taking all of this exceptionally seriously) but also for employees to be fully aware of the dangers out there because nowadays attacks are much more sophisticated.
My message for all the fools that have aimed to get their 5 minutes of glory and get some cash through the number of views or the purchase of Bitcoins: I can only tell you I am very disappointed, as it's obvious they don't understand how damaging such acts might be for the company, for their employees and (in some cases) even for their families.
And for anyone else who is expecting the new game in the GTA franchise, who values the hard work that is needed to build a good product, and who is delighted to know there are more launches for one of the most loved yet criticised franchises worldwide, please stop the expectations from leaked sources, report them and enjoy the official releases (as they are aiming to showcase the final product):
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