Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V): Amazon Sends Game Copies Four Days Before Official Release Date; Rockstar Games Fuming

Rockstar Games, the creator of the highly anticipated video game, "Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V)", is fuming at the report that some Amazon customers received copies of the game four days before the September 17 release date.

GTA V is the most awaited game in history. The Pre-order sales figures broke all existing records in almost all countries, including the US and UK. There have been leaked trailers and maps on Youtube, and these videos have amassed 1 million views.

Amazon, on its part, would always ship ordered items early. This is standard procedure for them so their customers would receive their products at the exact release date. However, CVG.com released photos sent by some of their readers who received their copies of the game last weekend, four days ahead of the Tuesday, September 17 release date. The Amazon customers are ecstatic, of course, but Rockstar Games is "investigating."

This development has massive implications. Rockstar Games has already taken down some videos in Youtube as well as game forums that leaked out gameplay details such as maps, vehicles and characters.

Rockstar has also taken measures to give the release date some integrity.  It has prompted Sony to delay the pre-loading of GTA V in the Play Station Network to September 16, after game details were leaked through a Play Station Store.

The problem is that some stores may sell their units early for fear that they might be left behind, and the September 17 release date will no longer be honored.

One comment from "lucidium" in the CVG forum laments:  "This irks me more as I was maybe dumb enough to buy from R* (Rockstar) directly - thus paying £54.99 and expecting R* to ship early to people who bought directly from them.. Joke was on me. Amazon and piracy win again."