10 Games That Were HURT by Leaks

10 Games That Were Hurt by Leaks

Welcome to MojoPlays and today we’re looking at prominent games that were negatively impacted by leaks prior to release.

“Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League” (2024)

When Rocksteady unveiled their next entry in the Arkhamverse, the pivot to action-centric co-op made some fans uneasy. However, the game’s public image was torn apart when the leaks started rolling in. In January of 2023, a leaked image of its menu showed live-service elements like a Battle Pass and six different currencies. Rocksteady later confirmed those elements to be true. It got everyone worried we’d have another “Marvel’s Avengers” on our hands, and no one was surprised to hear it was delayed following the backlash. However, in December of 2023, major story spoilers leaked online from an anonymous source. While the leaker would later claim they fabricated part of it, there’s still truth in some of it. Regardless, these leaks made the game a huge punching bag.

“Fallout 4” (2015)

There was a lot of excitement leading up to “Fallout 4,” it being Bethesda’s next entry in the beloved post-apocalyptic series. But there’s no denying that it had some of its hype stolen by Kotaku. In December of 2013, before the game was even announced, the publication was sent a ton of documents that included scripts, character descriptions, the Boston setting, and the fact that the player character would be voiced for the first time. It then posted all of them for the whole gaming world to see. Bethesda naturally would’ve preferred to announce the game in its own time, as well as market the new features properly. In retaliation for posting the many spoilers, Bethesda unsurprisingly blacklisted Kotaku.

“Grand Theft Auto VI” (2025)

To be fair, there’s almost nothing in this world that could halt the momentous hype of “GTA VI.” Then again, leaks, whether they be big or small, are always harmful to games. In September of 2022, a plethora of in-progress development videos, totaling around 50 minutes, were leaked online by a hacker. The individual responsible claimed to have also stolen source codes and other assets from the upcoming game and its predecessor. The hacker was arrested before anything else could be posted. But Rockstar reportedly still had to spend around $5 million on damage control, as well as thousands of staff hours to rectify the security breach.

“Halo 2” (2004)

“Halo 2” was one of the most anticipated sequels in gaming history, yet some players just couldn’t be patient. In October of 2004, one month before its release, the French version of the game, with English subtitles, leaked online. Almost immediately, BitTorrent users began sharing the game with everyone they could. Microsoft was naturally pissed, issuing a statement that equated downloading it to thievery. The silver lining, at least for the company, was that you couldn’t play the leaked “Halo 2” without a modded console, nor could they access its multiplayer. Of course, campaign spoilers were still out in the wild, though they couldn’t stop the game from becoming the system’s best-selling release.

“Mass Effect 3” (2012)

Of course, even a company as big as Microsoft isn’t infallible. In November of 2011, players who had signed up for the beta for Xbox Live’s dashboard update received an early Christmas gift. Someone at the publisher accidentally posted a beta version of “Mass Effect 3.” It was naturally in an unfinished state and was taken down quickly, but spoiler-filled gameplay videos still leaked online. As if that wasn’t bad enough, someone mined it for story elements, compiled it all into a handy document, and spread it everywhere. While some of it was outdated, some of it wasn’t. It’s unclear how much of the story was changed due to this leak, if at all. But it couldn’t have been fun for developer BioWare to sort it all out.

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” (2011)

Even in 2011, a new “Call of Duty” each year had come to be expected. So when the existence of “Modern Warfare 3” leaked before it was announced, none of us were too surprised. However, the scope of what was revealed in the leak was vast. Not only did we learn a direct sequel to “Modern Warfare 2” was in development, but we also got information on weapons, levels, and modes; the majority of what “CoD” has to offer. In response, the marketing team went into overdrive to contain and control the hype. The very same day of the leak, four different teaser trailers were revealed. Over the next month, we’d also get gameplay and other announcements.

“Gears of War 3” (2011)

In July of 2011, Microsoft and Epic Games were gearing up for the launch of “Gears of War 3,” only a couple of months away. Then, the worst happened. An early version found its way online, allowing anyone to play through its campaign as well as multiplayer modes. Naturally, Epic planned to spend the remaining months polishing the final product before launch, and those that played this version would describe it as “buggy as hell.” Still, full campaign spoilers were out there. And considering this was the culmination of a trilogy, they were big ones. Those that worked on it were understandably bummed, such as designer Cliff Bleszinski, who pleaded with his Twitter followers to stop asking him about it because it was already upsetting enough.

“Marvel’s Wolverine” (TBA)

In December of 2023, Insomniac Games was hit by one of the biggest data breaches in gaming history. A hacker group known as Rhysida obtained a ton of information and attempted to extort the studio. It was all eventually posted, including plans for upcoming games and, horrifically, a lot of employee data. Among everything else was information regarding “Wolverine.” Plot, characters, concept art, animation tests, even the voice cast. Worse were the playable builds that appeared online soon after. The game is obviously a long way off, and we don’t doubt that Insomniac’s talent and the fan-favorite mutant will lead to a hit. The studio stated the leak wouldn’t change its development plans, but it damaged the team’s morale in more ways than one.

“Half-life 2” (2004)

In September of 2003, a German hacker named Axel Gembe broke into Valve’s network and stole source code for the upcoming “Half-life 2.” After showing it to a friend, who leaked it online the following month, players compiled it to find a very, very unfinished game. This came directly after it had already been delayed. Something this detrimental to its image further slowed work on the game, as Valve was busy cleaning up the mess. Gembe was eventually arrested in Germany, though his actions were detrimental. The leak made the remaining development time extremely stressful and reportedly cost Valve $250 million in damages. Man, no wonder they never made “Half-life 3.”

“The Last of Us Part II” (2020)

Surprised? Well, you shouldn’t be. When Sony and Naughty Dog announced a sequel to the popular “The Last of Us,” some thought it unnecessary. However, when elements leaked online in April of 2020, that feeling turned into vitriolic rejection. Multiple videos had suddenly appeared, spoiling gameplay and significant plot details, including a major character death. Those who took issue with the story directions, regardless of overall context, spread their hate like wildfire before the game could release in June of that year. Many would still hate the direction after playing it, but this certainly didn’t help its chances. The game was still a commercial and critical success, but its reputation was undeniably tarnished in the eyes of many players.

Which leaks do you think hurt their game the most? Share your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays for great gaming videos every day!