The internet's latest gaming preservation victory was incredibly short-lived. Shortly after an early development build of Grand Theft Auto IV was discovered on an old Xbox 360 development kit and shared online, it was completely scrubbed from the web.
The rare prototype was reportedly hit with a swift Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice, forcing its immediate removal. While game preservationists and fans were eager to dig into the early code to uncover cut content and development secrets from the 2008 blockbuster, it appears the copyright enforcers were just as quick to shut the operation down. For now, this elusive piece of Rockstar Games history has once again retreated into the shadows.