An individual who leaked early footage of the highly anticipated game, Starfield, has been taken into custody. Starfield, a forthcoming space exploration RPG by Bethesda Game Studios, holds significant anticipation within the gaming community. Being Bethesda's first RPG since Fallout 4 in 2015 and a completely new intellectual property, the game promises players an immersive experience as spacefaring explorers.
The title's potential to become a standout contender for Game of the Year is generating considerable excitement, contingent upon its ability to meet the lofty expectations. Additionally, it marks a milestone as Bethesda's inaugural Xbox exclusive since becoming part of the Microsoft first-party portfolio. Consequently, the stakes are high, particularly given Bethesda's efforts to safeguard surprises and undisclosed elements for players.
Tragically, during the previous week, a 29-year-old named Darin Harris leaked video content of Starfield, acquired from his own copy of the game, onto various online platforms. Harris went beyond merely sharing footage; he also offered his personal impressions of the game, accompanied by a 45-minute gameplay excerpt. Harris' actions prompted law enforcement intervention in Tennessee. Notably, Harris had already started removing his social media presence, although his content had already proliferated to other corners of the internet.
According to reports from Kotaku, Harris is facing felony charges for the alleged theft of property valued between $2,500 and $10,000, alongside misdemeanor charges for property valued at $1,000 or less, and the misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Interestingly, Harris was depicted in online posts with stacks of game copies, suggesting that he may have engaged in the unauthorized distribution of Starfield copies for profit. This speculation arose due to the large volume of copies involved.
Presently, no official confirmation has emerged, leaving room for alternative possibilities regarding Harris' arrest. Instances of game theft before official release have occurred in the past. For instance, in 2011, an armed robbery resulted in the theft of a truck loaded with copies of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, totaling around $1 million worth of product.
Starfield is scheduled for early access release on September 1st, followed by a broader release on September 6th.
