Bizarre! Rockstar Games gets threat over GTA 6 trailer 'defamation'; deadline January 14

Florida Joker, Lawrence Sullivan, escalates demand to $10 million from Rockstar Games over GTA 6 trailer, alleging defamation and vowing to free the teen hacker from jail in a bizarre online saga.

By: HT TECH
| Updated on: Jan 12 2024, 09:15 IST

5 notable things we saw in the GTA 6 trailer: Release date, characters, location and more

image caption — 1/5 Based in Vice City - Rockstar Games has brought back Grand Theft Auto to Vice City, its own fictional take on Miami but not for the first time. Vice City was first introduced in 2002’s GTA: Vice City. GTA 6’s open world is set in the state of Leonida and will feature iconic locations from the previous game such as Vice Beaches, Kelly County, Hamlet, Port Gellhorn, and more. (Rockstar Games)

Lawrence Sullivan, famously known as the "Florida Joker," has resurfaced with fresh threats and an increased demand of $10 million from Rockstar Games. Sullivan gained notoriety after publicly criticizing Rockstar for featuring a character resembling him in the GTA 6 trailer. In his latest series of TikTok videos, he outlines his grievances and bizarre requests.

The self-proclaimed Florida Joker initially demanded $2 million from Rockstar, which he later escalated to $5 million. Now, his demands have skyrocketed to a staggering $10 million, citing "defamation of my character" and claiming to have given a month's worth of "free publicity" to GTA 6.

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Sullivan, who previously issued a final warning by his birthday on January 11th, has extended the deadline to January 14th in his latest TikTok video. He insists that Rockstar must respond by then, or he will pursue legal action. The constantly shifting deadlines and warnings add a layer of unpredictability to his antics, Rockstarintel.com reported.

In a peculiar twist, Sullivan released a TikTok video portraying himself as a GTA 6 character, donning an orange jail outfit with a bib that reads "GTA we gotta talk." He alleges harassment and demands compensation for the unauthorized use of his likeness in the GTA 6 trailer, claiming damages for both "defamation of my character" and emotional distress.

Florida Joker Pledges to "Break Out" Teen Hacker

Towards the end of the video, Sullivan makes an audacious threat. He pledges to "break out" the teenager recently sentenced to an indefinite hospital order for hacking Rockstar Games and leaking GTA 6 gameplay. The Florida Joker even goes as far as offering to provide the teen with a laptop to facilitate hacking into Rockstar's systems once again.

As Sullivan continues his bizarre campaign against the gaming giant, the unfolding drama raises questions about the nature of online activism and the lengths individuals are willing to go to assert their grievances in the digital age.

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