Photo: Memphian94 / YouTube
A Black man is facing charges after he allegedly leaked gameplay of a highly-anticipated video game and stole dozens of copies ahead of the official release. According to a police report obtained by Polygon, 29-year-old Darin Harris was arrested days after uploading 45 minutes of Starfield, an Xbox and PC-exclusive game developed and published by Bethesda.
“Todd, no offense, man. That’s a good game,” Harris said in one YouTube short while smoking a blunt, referring to Starfield game director Todd Howard. “Perfect timing, about leaving Earth and all that... Y’all don’t want to miss that."
The game won't be available until Friday, September 1 for those who pre-ordered the game.
The 29-year-old is accused of stealing 67 copies of Starfield from a warehouse in Memphis, Tennessee, a Memphis police incident report states. The facility is owned by Vantiva, a logistics company that handles supply chain management and fulfillment. Kotaku learned he allegedly sold several copies through Mercari, an e-commerce platform.
Harris went by @Memphian94 on YouTube, but the account currently lists no videos. Other social media users have reuploaded some of his content, including one TikTok where he's shown packaging copies of Starfield and shipping them through FedEx.
After obtaining a search warrant for Harris' home, authorities found a FedEx package containing a copy of the game and six more copies across two editions. Police claim they also found marijuana and three handguns, one of which was reportedly stolen, according to an arrest affidavit.
When asked how he obtained the video games, Harris told cops he purchased them. He was arrested on August 25 for felony theft and two misdemeanors: possession of marijuana and property of theft worth $1,000 or less. He was booked into Shelby County Jail on a $10,000 bond.
His next court appearance is scheduled for September 8, two days after Starfield's release date for standard owners of the game.
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