: Set the executable to run in compatibility mode for Windows 8 or 10 if you are on an older OS.

The Playgtav.exe wasn't a game. It was a sleeper agent. It didn't need the internet to steal data; it had been waiting for a "user" to give it permissions. By running the executable, Alex had opened a port in his own mind, metaphorically speaking. The program was scanning his personal files, learning his life, generating a simulation based on his memories.