"GTA 6 Map Mod in GTA 5 Taken Down by Take-Two, Creator Says"

The modder known as 'Dark Space,' who had crafted a playable recreation of the Grand Theft Auto 6 map within Grand Theft Auto 5, has officially ceased all work on the project following a takedown notice from Take-Two, the owners of Rockstar Games.

Dark Space's mod, which was freely downloadable, was based on leaked coordinate data and official trailer shots of GTA 6. It garnered significant attention in January, drawing in eager GTA fans who were keen to explore a fan-made rendition of the anticipated GTA 6 world ahead of its official release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S this fall.

However, the modder's venture hit a roadblock last week when Take-Two issued a copyright removal request, leading to a strike on Dark Space's YouTube channel. With the threat of channel termination looming over multiple copyright strikes, Dark Space proactively removed all download links to his mod and addressed the situation in a response video. He suggested that Take-Two's action was likely due to the mod's highly accurate representation of the GTA 6 map.

In a subsequent interview with IGN, Dark Space expressed a more resigned attitude, noting that he anticipated such a response from Take-Two based on their history of takedowns. He acknowledged that his project, which drew heavily from an online community mapping effort using leaked coordinates, might have compromised the surprise element of GTA 6's map for players.

Understanding Take-Two's perspective, Dark Space commented, "If you spent years building out this amazing game world just to have some YouTuber spoil the experience of the map's shape, size, and vibe... I'd want it removed too." Consequently, he 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."

Dark Space also expressed concerns about future modding projects related to GTA 6, indicating he would avoid such endeavors due to the perceived risks. Meanwhile, there are worries that the GTA 6 community mapping project could be the next target for Take-Two's legal actions.

Take-Two's history of taking down fan projects was highlighted by the recent takedown of the YouTube channel for the 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition' mod, which had ported elements of the 2002 game into the 2008 GTA 4 engine. A former Rockstar developer, Obbe Vermeij, defended these actions, emphasizing that both Take-Two and Rockstar are protecting their commercial interests.

Vermeij tweeted, "Take2/R* are a commercial company... They will take down mods that interfere with their business interests." He pointed out that mods like the 'VC NextGen Edition' compete directly with official releases like the Definitive Edition, and other projects could impact potential remasters.

As fans await the release of GTA 6, they can keep up with IGN's coverage on related topics, including insights from former Rockstar developers on the game's development timeline, the future of GTA Online, and the potential performance of GTA 6 on the PS5 Pro.

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