Starfield leaker is being charged with stealing 67 copies of an unreleased game

The Star field Leaker was arrested last week not for uploading 45 minutes of the unreleased game, but for stealing 67 copies of it, according to a police report obtained by Polygon. Darin Harris, 29, was arrested just days after the footage was uploaded and charged with robbery for theft, not for leaking.

Dozens of Star field copies were stolen from a warehouse in Memphis, Tennessee owned by Vantiva, a logistics company involved in supply chain management and fulfillment. The 67 copies of the game are worth $2,500, according to an incident report from the Memphis Police Department. (The actual value is probably higher. If all copies were standard editions, the total retail value would be over $4,600. Star fieldcollector’s edition retails for $299.99.)

After getting his hands on the game, Harris uploaded 45 minutes of footage on August 22, and the cell phone video of his screen quickly went viral – both due to the nature of the footage and the player’s perceived lack of skill. Harris is said to have sold several copies of it Star field on e-commerce platform Mercari, Kotaku reported. He later posted videos of herself send copies of the game.

“Todd, no offense intended, man. That’s a good game.” Harris said in one video while smoking a blunt, apparently referring to Star field game director Todd Howard. “Perfect timing, about leaving Earth and all.” Harris continued, “They said I play like a novice because I’m not a game expert; I was just trying something out. That’s a good game, you don’t want to miss it. Star fieldReal.”

Harris began shutting down his social media accounts days later, before being arrested and booked on August 24. Local news channel Memphis Commercial Appeal reports that the police got a warrant to search Harris’ house. They found a FedEx package with a copy of Star field Sealed inside and containing six copies of the game across two editions, along with marijuana and three handguns, one of which is reportedly stolen. Harris told police, according to the affidavit obtained by Memphis Commercial Appeal, that he bought the games.

In addition to the misdemeanor charge, Harris was charged with two felonies: one for possession of marijuana and another for theft of property worth $1,000 or less. The theft charge is for property valued at $2,500 to $10,000. Harris was released on August 25 on $10,000 bail. He is due to appear in court on September 8.

Polygon has reached out to both Microsoft and Vantiva for more information.