Rockstar Games is at the center of an emotional story currently circulating across the gaming community, after reports emerged that the studio granted early access to Grand Theft Auto VI to a terminally ill fan whose family shared his story publicly online.
While the report has gone viral and been widely covered by gaming media, Rockstar Games has not issued an official public statement confirming the gesture, making this a developing and partially unverified story.
The story originated from a LinkedIn post by Anthony Armstrong, a game developer at Ubisoft Toronto, who shared that a close family member had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and was unlikely to live long enough to see the release of GTA 6.
In the post, Armstrong appealed directly to Rockstar Games, asking whether it would be possible for the fan to experience the game early in some form.
Shortly after the post gained attention and spread across social media platforms, Armstrong reportedly shared an update stating that he had spoken with Rockstar or its representatives and received “great news.” The post was later deleted, fueling speculation that discussions had moved offline or were subject to confidentiality.
The reports have gained credibility partly because Rockstar has a documented history of similar gestures. In 2018, the studio allowed a terminally ill fan to play Red Dead Redemption 2 ahead of its release; a move that was later confirmed and widely praised.
That precedent has led many fans to believe Rockstar could have quietly repeated a similar act of compassion with GTA 6, especially given the sensitivity of pre-release material and strict confidentiality policies.
Social media reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, with many fans praising Rockstar for compassion and humanity even as others caution against treating the story as confirmed without an official statement.
Some fans have also pointed out that Rockstar’s silence may be intentional, aimed at protecting the privacy of the family involved rather than fueling publicity.