Credit: Twitter
The Tennessee man , who leaked Starfield online has been arrested, but not for leaking about 45 minutes of the unreleased game, but for reportedly stealing 67 copies of it, according to a police report. The accused has been identified as Darin Harris, who is a 29-year-old and has been charged with felony theft.
Vantiva, a logistics firm that manages supply chain management and fulfilment, owned the facility in Memphis, Tennessee, where dozens of Starfield copies were taken. According to a Memphis Police Department incident report, the 67 copies of the game have a worth of between $2,500 and $4,600.
After buying the upcoming action role-playing game developed by Bethesda, Harris uploaded 45 minutes of footage on August 22. The video of his screen on his phone soon gained popularity due to the content of the footage and the player's perceived lack of talent. According to Kotaku, Harris allegedly sold many copies of Starfield through the online store Mercari. Later, he uploaded videos showing himself mailing the game's copies.
He posted a video on social media in which he could be heard saying, “Todd, no offence, man. That’s a good game,” apparently referencing the director of Starfield, Todd Howard. “Perfect timing, about leaving Earth and all that.” Harris stated further, “They were saying I play like a beginner, ’cause I’m not a game expert; I was just trying something out. That’s a good game — y’all don’t want to miss that. Starfield, for real.” It is also being reported that the accused was a frequent drug abuser, and was seen consuming Marijuana in the video.
Watch the video here:
Before being detained and jailed on August 24, Harris started deleting his social media accounts a few days later. According to the local news source, Memphis Commercial Appeal, officers had a warrant to search Harris' residence. They discovered marijuana, three firearms, one of which was allegedly stolen, a FedEx package with a sealed copy of Starfield inside, as well as six copies of the game from two different versions.
Harris was also charged with two misdemeanours, one for marijuana possession and the other for stealing property worth $1,000 or less, in addition to the theft charge. Property valued between $2,500 and $10,000 is subject to felony theft charges. On a $10,000 bond, Harris was released on August 25. He is expected to show up in court on September 8.
