The now notorious hacking group Laspus$ has reportedly leaked the first development screenshots of Rockstar Games' Bully 2.
On Reddit, a user posted in the dedicated Bully 2 subreddit and claimed to have communicated with a member of the organization. They then shared screenshots of Twitter messages in which the hacker detailed development information for the as-yet-unannounced game. The hacker claims their group possesses two PDF files full of details about two versions of Bully 2: one that Rockstar worked on back in 2009 and a newer iteration that reportedly began development in 2017. The company allegedly put the 2009 version on the back burner to work on the then-upcoming Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, but ultimately scrapped it altogether due to its use of the outdated GTA 4 engine. The 2017 version is reportedly still in development, with Rockstar pivoting from a planned continuation of the story of Bully to spotlighting a brand-new character and school.
The new version of Bully 2 reportedly takes place in an English school named Bull and Kay in the fictional town of Eldon and hands players control of a character named Aimee. Gameplay will apparently expand on that of the original game, with players able to explore the surrounding streets, take on part-time jobs and commit various small-time crimes around the neighborhood. Screenshots also featured in the Reddit post show a bare school yard and a sign emblazoned with the Bull and Kay title. No characters or buildings can be seen in any of the images.
Some fans commented on the post, expressing reservations about the apparent leak by saying the screenshots featured very basic models and could easily be fake. Others also demurred the tone of the Twitter messages and believed them to be scripted. A previous leak reported that Bully 2 was supposed to debut at The Game Awards in December 2021, but the game ultimately did not appear, and Rockstar made no public comment.
The alleged leak of Bully 2 materials isn't Laspus$'s first run-in with Rockstar Games. Earlier in September, the hacking group leaked authentic pre-build video footage of Grand Theft Auto 6. The clips circulated widely on social media and received a spectrum of opinions. To many fans' surprise, Rockstar issued a statement confirming the leak as genuine. It said it was "extremely disappointed" that the low-quality test footage was the first thing players had seen of the upcoming GTA 6. The company confirmed that the unauthorized disclosure of the game's pre-build source code would not affect the development or release schedule. The FBI is investigating Laspus$ for a string of security breaches at several other big corporations, including Microsoft, Samsung and Uber.
Despite the various rumors, Rockstar has not confirmed the existence of Bully 2, though fans remain eager for the classic series to make a comeback.
Source: Reddit