Game leaks are the opposite of a studio’s roadmap to launching its beloved title. A great leak spoils much of the experience, killing the novelty of exploring whatever part of the game has been leaked. Ultimately, it depends on your perspective, because some gamers love leaks. To that end, we’ve compiled a list of the biggest game leaks of 2023.
These leaks aren’t encouraging and in many cases, they’ll even distract the developers. That said, you might have noticed that Player.com is opinionated, and that’s because we understand the studio’s plight. So, for now, we enjoy the allure of waiting for a studio to willingly unveil their games.
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8 Biggest Game Leaks of 2023
Leaks affected many games in 2023. GTA VI is one of them but others, like Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, were also affected. This subsection is dedicated to the eight affected games and the contents of their leaks. We also included the studio’s reaction to their game leaking on gaming forums. Spoiler alert!
#1: GTA VI
GTA games may seem overhyped to unbelievers, but everyone is convinced of their quality after picking up the controller and playing for a few minutes. Rockstar Games always creates titles with intuitive controls and compelling characters. In GTA V, players control three protagonists, who are Charles (The brains behind operations), Trevor (The muscle and maniac), and Franklin (The getaway driver and extra muscle).
For GTA VI, players will only control two characters, Bonnie and Clyde-style. In other words, you’ll be controlling a couple whose relationship is explosive, to say the least. The lady is the brain behind the operations, while her partner is the muscle. So far, we know her name is Lucia, but we don’t know her partner yet.
How do we know her name? Well, you can thank leaked footage on Reddit for that. We saw one of the main characters, the huge sandbox, and the water physics months before the trailer was released. Heck, the trailer itself was leaked before its release, which is like rubbing salt in the proverbial wound. We got to know GTA VI’s map far before the trailer. Rockstar Games’ response to all these instances was to report the copyright infringement and get their leaked games off the web.
#2: Dragon Age: Dreadwolf
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf has leaked multiple times already, and that’s due to a variety of issues. Besides being delayed, BioWare has also laid off multiple creators. Some fans theorise that the creators might have been vindictive enough to leak some gameplay. However, we’re not fans of rumours and can only blame hackers.
Recently, a leak of the game’s combat during pre-alpha stages went live and the opinions were mixed, to say the least. We saw the protagonist fighting several Grey Wardens in Weisshaupt Fortress.
On the bright side, many players seemed pleased with the hack-and-slash fighting style of the protagonist. Like in classic Souls games, he infused his sword with magic to deal more damage. The developers took it in stride, so their efforts to curb the spread of the game leaks weren’t as aggressive compared to Rockstar Games.
The leak also confirmed that combat will take place in real-time and aspects like blocking and partying have been overhauled. The only good thing about these game leaks is that fans learned that Dragon Age: Dreadwolf was complete, and its creators could already finish the game from the start. That and the fact that EA has completely removed live services from the game.
#3: Doom Year Zero
The next entry in the Doom series is Doom Year Zero and speculations already suggest that it’s referencing a point in the future where the gates of hell are open. Imagine the hordes of demons that you’ll get to kill. Plus, the enemy variety should be dialled up a notch or two. It has already been more than five years since Doom Eternal was released in 2016.
We’re also seeing suggestions that the protagonist is Doom Guy, who may have awoken in the distant future. However, for now, there’s no concrete information about its storyline, protagonist, or returning characters. After all, the game leak is only due to a filing error on Xbox’s part, so there’s no gameplay or images to map a better plot line. Moving forward, the Xbox game leak also highlighted that DLCs would be released for the next two years after the game’s launch.
That said, the real reason why this leak is huge is because it also suggests Doom Year Zero’s release date. Allegedly, the game will be released two years after Starfield is out. So, players shouldn’t expect to play the game until 2025 and that’s the best-case scenario. The game’s basically confirmed for the Xbox Series X|S and PC but we don’t know if it’s coming to other platforms, such as the PS5. Having said that, Starfield isn’t rated well by critics but its commercial success is enough motivation for Bethesda Game Studios to push forward.
#4: Dishonored 3
According to leaks, Dishonored 3 is being developed by Arkane Studios and it’ll feature more of the same reality-bending abilities from the previous games. Moreover, we can also expect the game to be released in 2025 at the earliest. The only reason why this game leak should be taken even with a pinch of salt is because it’s sourced from official documents. Microsoft’s court case with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) is legendary and part of the reason is because the case documents leaked.
The game leaks also suggest that Dishonored 3 was almost scheduled for a 2024 release; However, the documents also suggest that Starfield would be released in 2022. Yet Starfield wasn’t released until September 2023 so most of the studio’s roadmap must have changed already. That said, the official documents also suggested that remakes of Fallout 3 and Oblivion are already in the works.
Many gamers theorise that Dishonored 3 may flop following the negative reviews of Starfield and Redfall. Heck, we expect the studio to be reeling away from the shock of their failure, not trying to line up more games for the future. Ultimately, we can only hope that Dishonored 3 won’t be fouled by the dark taint of Bethesda Game Studios’ recent failures.
#5: The Elder Scrolls 6
The Elder Scrolls 6 was also on the list of game leaks that were accidentally divulged by a Microsoft lawyer. It details the launch date of The Elder Scrolls 6 as 2026, but that was before the Redfall fiasco. The lawyer said, “Could I clarify one issue that council raised with you? When you were asking about Zenimax and asked him to find a game that was most similar to Xbox, he mentioned Elder Scrolls.
That is incorrect. There are two Elder Scrolls games: One is online called Elder Scrolls Online – which is a multiplayer game, and it is on PlayStation today. The game he’s talking about is Elder Scrolls 16… the projected release is 2026 as a single-player game. It is not anywhere similar to Call of Duty, which, as you know, is multiplayer and multi-platform”.
A piece of information confirming that this date isn’t set in stone is the development cycle of Starfield. Even to date, the studio’s developers are still running helter-skelter to iron out the kinks in their codes. Don’t get us wrong, though. We’re still excited that The Elder Scrolls 6 is finally under development. It’s just that we haven’t seen any gameplay so we can’t take the game leak seriously.
#6: Super Mario RPG
One of the weirdest game leaks of 2023 was dealt to Nintendo. The game’s information was leaked down to its game engine (It uses the Unity Engine) and additional levels. Heck, the leak confirmed the presence of a secret boss after fighting Culex. So, even gamers who finished the game when it was first released will be affected. The leak also confirmed the presence of a hard mode, which can only be unlocked after completing the game once. This is one of the strangest game leaks because illegal information about the game was released within a month of its release date.
So, it seems counter-productive, even for the leakers. If you’re wondering who the hackers are, there are none. Instead, news suggests that some retailers broke the street date of the game and sold copies of Super Mario RPG. This means that all the game leaks found on the web are courtesy of buyers who received their copies early. Heck, it’s said that Super Mario RPG’s ROM has also leaked so PC players used Nintendo Switch emulators to run the game. This also highlights the issue of piracy that Nintendo is facing through the illegal sales of emulators.
#7: Indiana Jones
An Indiana Jones game recently leaked and it’s another game from Bethesda Game Studios. We know nothing about the plot line or the treasure that Indiana Jones is hunting down. Likewise, the game’s release date is unknown. However, we know the protagonist will still be Jones and he’ll use his iconic whip to beat puzzles and opponents in combat. From the game leaks, it’s also suggested that the game will be played in first and third-person shooter modes. Allegedly, different sections of the title will switch between the camera modes for a more immersive experience.
Still, we wouldn’t get our hopes up because the game could just have two different camera modes. Ours is to pick the one that fits our style. The game leak also suggested that we should expect some exclusivity. In other words, Indiana Jones might be available on PC and Xbox Series X|S only. This is in line with the regulations of the FTC, which aim to prevent Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Games such as Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Shadow of the Tomb Raider don’t have enough competition but this game is determined to enter the power toss. Finally, the game will be available on Game Pass on day one and yes, we can expect a single-player experience.
#8: Call of Duty: Warzone 2
Call of Duty: Warzone 2 is another game leak that spoils the experience, though fans would think otherwise. It offers juicy details about the new map in the game, including the size and type of the terrain. The newly added map is supposedly Ashika Island, which is in Japan so you can expect tons of oriental flora and fauna. Furthermore, we can expect another new map called Vondel to appear at launch. It’s allegedly a resurgence map that’s located in the Netherlands and the setting is expected to be modern.
Other than that, there’s no other information about the upcoming Call of Duty: Warzone 2. We don’t know its release date or the new fight mechanics that are being introduced. On the bright side, we do know that the game will be released for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. Given the game series’ track record, we don’t need a game leak to know. However, we’re not sure that the Nintendo Switch will be getting the game anytime soon.
Our Final Say: Many More Game Leaks Remain Undiscussed
Game leaks are becoming the norm in the video game industry, and that’s good news for fans. However, leaked gameplay or reports don’t necessarily translate to a great final product. Heck, a game’s development may be scrapped and rebooted at any point during its creation. However, leaks do have their pros, of which the fans’ feedback is the most valuable.
Once players saw Dragon Age: Dreadwolf’s leaks, many were quick to criticise its combat and animations. The game leak showed us two weak points for the developers to know and fix. However, since that wasn’t the final product, now isn’t the time to worry. That said, the kid in us is still looking forward to more game leaks to criticise.
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