Video Game Leaks: Between Spoilers and Marketing Opportunities

In just 24 hours, "GTA VI Trailer 1" garnered over 93 million views, setting a new record for the most views in a 24-hour period for a non-music video launch. To date, the video has accumulated nearly 186 million views on Rockstar Game's YouTube channel. Did you know that the story could have been very different? Indeed, this video was the subject of a "leak".

Rockstar Twitter post after GTA 6 Trailer leak

Let's start with the basics for newcomers: what is a leak in the video game industry? Well, it's generally an unauthorized revelation about a game in development or an upcoming update, which spreads in the press or the gaming community without the publisher's consent.

Whether you're a video game enthusiast or just an observer, it's highly likely that you've heard, one way or another, about the revelation of what could be considered one of the biggest games of the decade, if not in the history of video games. The BBC, this British media pillar, even covered the "GTA VI leak" in an article dated December 5, 2023, announcing "the revelation of a first glimpse of the sixth installment in the Grand Theft Auto series following the highly anticipated leak of the blockbuster trailer."

Source: Rockstar Games

Privacy, a Lost Luxury!

Leaks pose a serious problem when it comes to data confidentiality. Let's go back to 2012 when a "keyboard genius" got hold of the source code for Mass Effect 3. Within a few hours, the entire code as well as the main storyline ended up freely available on the internet. Players were thus "spoiled" before the official release of the game, discovering the story's progression well ahead of time.

In addition to spoiling players' surprise and enjoyment of discovery, leaks can have even more detrimental consequences, including compromising trade secrets such as product plans, proprietary algorithms, or development strategies. These revelations also benefit competitors, who can exploit them to improve their own products or simply copy them. Not to mention that these leaks can seriously tarnish a company's reputation, especially when the disclosed information is sensitive or embarrassing, which can affect the trust of investors, business partners, customers, and even lead to legal disputes.

The solution seems simple: protect your data. However, finding an effective technological solution to protect data while ensuring business continuity smoothly and at a reasonable cost is a challenge.

It is with this in mind that Irdeto, the company behind Denuvo, unveiled a revolutionary technology at GDC 2024. As a reminder, Denuvo is known for its PC anti-piracy solution and its anti-cheat used in games like Call of Duty. Despite its notoriety, it is often criticized for its negative impact on performance. If you are a publisher and data protection concerns you, why not consider this solution?

What is a leak ? - "Well, it's generally an unauthorized revelation about a game in development or an upcoming update, which spreads in the press or the gaming community without the publisher's consent"

What Impact video game leaks have on Communication Strategy?

Leaks can seriously disrupt an editor's communication and marketing plans. Imagine if features or products were revealed before their official launch: this could seriously compromise planned launch campaigns. When information is leaked unofficially, the company loses control over how it is presented and interpreted by the public.

Let's go back to the GTA VI example: the leaked trailer forced Take-Two to revise its plans and release the trailer a few hours before the scheduled date. Even though this did not prevent the trailer's global success, it is important to note that for less anticipated games or those with fewer resources, such a leak could have been disastrous. It is also crucial to remember that the 18-year-old responsible for the leak was sentenced to reside in a secure hospital indefinitely.

A creation from Virtual photographer @Lucent_VP

Let's also remember the episode of The Last of Us Part II. Spoiler alert! The internet clung to the idea that Abby, one of the game's playable characters, was transgender, which turned out to be false. This led to accusations against Naughty Dog. Joel's fate was even revealed, eliciting chilly reactions from some Naughty Dog team members. All because of a young Dutch hacker who posted the content online (one really wonders why young people spend their time hacking on their computers, but I digress). Artistic director Neil Druckmann, writer Halley Gross, actors Ashley Johnson and Laura Bailey, among others, were bombarded with hateful messages and death threats. The situation reached a point where their presence on social media was synonymous with hate. Gross, accustomed to fans' overreactions following her previous work, even described the intensity of the hatred as disturbing.

Leaks in the history of video games are not new, but one thing is certain: even if in most cases they pose many problems for publishers and studios, they are a powerful engine for creating excitement.

"Controlled Leaks", a Teasing or Hype Tool

As we have seen in the case of GTA VI, leaks can generate enthusiasm and excitement among players for upcoming content. While some players prefer to be surprised, in reality, most of them actually prefer it; leaks can indeed spark impatience and the desire to play. In this case, leaks serve as a teasing element, teasing tools.

This is particularly important for games like Genshin Impact, whose support is supposed to last several years. Players naturally want to know what awaits them, and leaks can give them a glimpse of future updates and encourage them to stay in the game. Still, in the case of Genshin Impact, this information is particularly useful for players who want to plan and prepare, especially free-to-play players who collect Primogems organically. For example, to obtain a new five-star character in Genshin Impact, you need 28,800 Primogems, which represents a significant amount and takes a lot of time to accumulate. Leaks about new playable characters and limited character banners can help players decide in advance which characters they want to obtain, allowing them to save money.

A practical alternative for developers would be to unveil a detailed roadmap of upcoming content several months in advance. Although leaks are not always entirely accurate, they can prompt developers to offer more detailed and comprehensive details on upcoming updates, thus meeting players' curiosity and expectations.

Controlling the Narrative

Consistent communication with customers and partners about upcoming novelties is crucial for any company, whether in the video game industry or not. Indeed, it helps establish a climate of trust and loyalty when people know what the company plans for the future in terms of product development (including video games) and new services. They thus feel valued and maintain their interest and commitment to the company. Moreover, clear communication allows everyone to know what to expect and when to expect it, avoiding any confusion or disappointment and thus reducing the power of leaks on the target audience.

It is also good to note that controlled communication with customers and partners provides the opportunity to obtain useful feedback. This feedback can be used to improve products or services and make customers more satisfied. This shows that the company is transparent and values collaboration, which is important for long-term partnerships. Finally, in a competitive business environment, keeping people informed about future releases can help a company stay one step ahead of its competitors.

All in all, although leaks can be a powerful engine for creating excitement, it is essential for companies to effectively manage these leaks and maintain transparent and consistent communication with their customers and partners to ensure their long-term success and growth. These leaks can compromise data confidentiality, reveal trade secrets, and disrupt a company's communication and marketing plans. To counter these issues, it is crucial for companies to communicate consistently and effectively with their customers and partners about upcoming novelties