GTA 6 Map Mod in GTA 5 Taken Down by Take-Two, Creator Says It Was 'Too Accurate'

The modder known as 'Dark Space' has abruptly halted his project that recreated the Grand Theft Auto 6 map within Grand Theft Auto 5. This decision came after receiving a copyright takedown notice from Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar Games. Dark Space had crafted a free-to-download mod using leaked coordinate data and official trailer visuals from GTA 6, sharing gameplay footage on his YouTube channel. The mod garnered significant attention in January, attracting eager GTA fans eager for a glimpse of what GTA 6 might offer upon its anticipated release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S this fall.

However, the project's momentum was halted when Take-Two issued a copyright strike against Dark Space's YouTube videos last week. Faced with the potential termination of his channel due to multiple strikes, Dark Space preemptively removed all download links to his mod, even though Take-Two had not yet demanded their removal. In a response video, he criticized Take-Two's actions, suggesting that the accuracy of his mod's depiction of the GTA 6 map might have been too close for comfort.

In a subsequent interview with IGN, Dark Space expressed a more resigned perspective, noting that he had anticipated such a response from Take-Two given their history of takedowns. He speculated that his mod's reliance on a community mapping project, which used leaked coordinates to accurately map out GTA 6's world, might have been the primary concern for Take-Two, potentially spoiling the surprise for future players.

Dark Space acknowledged the rationale behind Take-Two's actions, understanding that years of work on a game world could be undermined by a mod that reveals too much too soon. Consequently, he has decided to abandon the project entirely, stating, "Well they clearly do not want this project to exist... There’s no point putting more time into something that goes directly against what they’re willing to allow." He plans to focus on creating content that his audience enjoys, steering clear of further GTA 5 mods related to GTA 6 due to the perceived risks.

Concerns now loom over the GTA 6 community mapping project, which could be the next target for Take-Two's legal actions. IGN has reached out to the group for their response.

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4 ImagesTake-Two's history of targeting fan projects is well-documented, with recent actions including the takedown of the 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition' YouTube channel, which aimed to port the 2002 game into the 2008 GTA 4 engine.

A former Rockstar developer, Obbe Vermeij, defended Take-Two's actions, emphasizing that the company is protecting its commercial interests. He pointed out that mods like the 'VC NextGen Edition' directly compete with official releases like the Definitive Edition, and projects like the Liberty City preservation could interfere with potential remasters.

While awaiting the release of GTA 6, fans can explore IGN's coverage on various related topics, including insights from a former Rockstar developer on potential delays, comments from Take-Two's CEO on the future of GTA Online, and expert analysis on the performance capabilities of the PS5 Pro with GTA 6.