The individual responsible for leaking the initial 40 minutes of gameplay from Bethesda’s highly anticipated RPG, Starfield, has been apprehended. However, the arrest is not linked to the act of leaking spoilers; rather, it stems from the theft of the unreleased game itself.
Darrin Harris, a 29-year-old, was arrested in Shelby County, Tennessee, as reported by Kotaku. He faces multiple charges, including a felony for theft of property valued at $2500-10,000, a misdemeanor for theft of property amounting to $1000 or less, and an additional misdemeanor charge for possession of marijuana. The stolen item, listed in the arrest report, is described as “Video Game: Microsoft Starfield unreleased game.”
Although the exact legal consequences for Harris remain unclear at this stage, he posted a $10,000 bail, according to information provided by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office website.
The leaked footage emerged on Tuesday, originating from a cell phone recording and uploaded to Harris’ YouTube channel. Despite swift takedowns due to copyright infringement, spoilers spread across the internet, causing concern for those aiming to experience Starfield with minimal foreknowledge.
In the aftermath of the leak, Harris encountered criticism for his gameplay, with much of the footage revealing his struggle to grasp the game mechanics. Harris later posted a follow-up video, expressing positive sentiments towards the game’s creator, Todd Howard, and the thematic elements of Starfield.
However, Harris’ actions extended beyond leaking. Reports suggest he attempted to sell copies of Starfield, including the $300 Constellation Edition, on Mercari. While the means by which he acquired these copies are unclear, Harris openly advertised the sale, leading to further attention.
Starfield is set to launch on Sept. 1 for early access on PC and Xbox Series X/S, followed by a broader release on Sept. 6. The official review embargo is set to lift on Aug. 31, offering an in-depth look at the game. For more information on Starfield, consult our comprehensive guide detailing everything known about the game so far.
Leave a Reply