Yes, the September 2022 leak was genuine. Rockstar confirmed that an unauthorized third party accessed and downloaded early development footage from its systems. The leaked clips showed pre-alpha gameplay, including a playable female character and a Vice City setting, but they were never meant for public release. No further leaks of this scale have been confirmed since.
The leak is widely reported to have originated from a breach of Rockstar’s internal network, with the hacker later sentenced. While the footage matched what was later seen in official trailers, it lacked polish, contained placeholder assets, and did not reflect final game quality. Rockstar has not commented on any specific content from the leak beyond acknowledging its existence. Details such as the exact number of leaked files or the scope of the breach have not been officially confirmed.
For practical purposes, the leak offers an early look at concepts that evolved into the announced game, but it should not be used to judge graphics, gameplay, or story. The official trailers and the extended look from August 2026 are the only reliable sources for what the final game will include. Any claims of later leaks, especially those promising new details, should be treated as rumors unless Rockstar confirms them.