A visit to a flea market in Scotland led to an extraordinary find: an Xbox 360 development kit once used by Rockstar Games, containing an early beta version of Grand Theft Auto 4. The buyer, Jan, initially mistook the device for a standard 'Phat Xbox 360' with an odd attachment, but upon spotting a Rockstar sticker and the 'Sidecar' expansion unit, he knew it was special. He purchased it for just £5 (about $6.50) from a seller.
Jan later realized the significance of his acquisition at home. He has since shared the dev kit's contents online, where dataminers and tech experts are working to restore and analyze it. Although the 2007 build is partially wiped, most files have been recovered, revealing beta assets like character models, weapons, vehicles, maps, and more. This has sparked a community effort to compare this early version with the final retail release.
Notable discoveries include a ferry that appeared in an early trailer but was cut from the final game, leading to playful comments about making it drivable. Early map designs of Liberty City and hints of an abandoned zombie minigame have also surfaced. Fans have managed to run some executable files, allowing glimpses of playable, albeit buggy, sections. One enthusiast exclaimed, 'My jaw is on the floor... This is VERY beta,' noting differences like half the radio stations being completely altered.
Jan attempted to sell the dev kit, receiving a £1,000 ($1,300) offer and listing it on eBay for $800, but the auction was removed due to the software's nature. He is now considering private offers. Meanwhile, this leak is keeping the GTA community engaged as they await Grand Theft Auto 6, set for release on November 19. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has confirmed marketing will start this summer, and he has denied rumors of a digital-only launch, though pricing speculation continues, with some predicting up to $100. In related news, PlayStation users have been tricking friends by adding GTA 6 to their Recently Played lists.
