The developers behind Goat Simulator 3 landed themselves in hot water after using leaked material from Grand Theft Auto VI. An hour's worth of Grand Theft Auto VI footage was released on the internet earlier this year. Although it had previously been revealed that GTA VI was in the works, this was the first glimpse and insight into the game, including the characters, setting, gameplay, and more.
Because the leak was caused by a breach on Rockstar Games, the footage was swiftly removed from the internet by Rockstar owner Take-Two Interactive.
In an interesting turn of events, the leaked footage appeared in a Goat Simulator 3 ad in a humorous way. The ad centres on the antics of a clumsy yet well-known NPC who is being questioned by the media. He stated that he will be in more forthcoming projects, one of which had been leaked. After that, a B-roll of GTA VI video of a diner heist is aired, with the Goat Simulator 3 NPC composited into the backdrop. Everything about it is ridiculous, but Take-Two didn't think it amusing and promptly issued a copyright strike on the video.
— Goat Simulator (@GoatSimulator) December 19, 2022
The ad goes to show the wackiness of the Goat Simulator series, and the team behind the title’s marketing deserves some kudos for this stunt. However, such a move must be consulted with the legal team prior to its execution due to the delicate nature of the ad and the infamous litigious lawyers of Take-Two.
