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

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

Dark Space's mod was a free-to-download version of the GTA 5 map, crafted using leaked coordinate data and official trailer shots from GTA 6. He uploaded gameplay footage to his YouTube channel, which garnered significant attention in January from eager GTA fans looking to experience a fan-made version of the upcoming game ahead of its official release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S this fall.

However, last week, Dark Space received a copyright strike notification from YouTube after Take-Two issued a removal request. Multiple copyright strikes on a YouTube channel can lead to its termination, a serious threat to content creators.

In response, Dark Space preemptively removed all download links to his mod, despite not yet being directly asked to do so by Take-Two. He also posted a video on his channel criticizing the company's actions, suggesting that the accuracy of his mod to the actual GTA 6 map might have prompted the takedown.

In a subsequent interview with IGN, Dark Space expressed a philosophical acceptance of the situation. He anticipated the takedown based on Take-Two's history of similar actions against fan projects. He noted that his mod was largely based on the GTA 6 trailer shots but also utilized data from an online community mapping project, which might have compromised the surprise element of the game's map for players.

Understanding Take-Two's perspective, Dark Space remarked that he would also want to protect the experience of a game world he had spent years developing. As a result, he has completely halted the project, stating, "There’s no point putting more time into something that goes directly against what they’re willing to allow."

Moving forward, Dark Space plans to focus on creating content that his audience enjoys, but he will steer clear of any further GTA 5 mods related to GTA 6, citing the risks involved.

There is now speculation that the GTA 6 community mapping project could be the next target for Take-Two. IGN has reached out to the group for their comments on the matter.

Take-Two's actions align with their history of protecting their business interests by taking down fan projects that could potentially interfere with their commercial ventures. This was seen recently with the takedown of the YouTube channel for the 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition' mod, which brought the world, cutscenes, and missions from the 2002 game into the 2008 GTA 4 engine.

A former Rockstar developer, Obbe Vermeij, defended Take-Two and Rockstar's actions on Twitter, stating that companies are expected to protect their business interests. He pointed out that mods like the 'VC NextGen Edition' compete directly with official releases such as the Definitive Edition, and projects like the Liberty City preservation project could impact potential remasters.

While fans await the release of GTA 6, they can stay updated with IGN's coverage, including insights from a former Rockstar developer on the possibility of delays, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick's views on the future of GTA Online, and expert opinions on the performance of GTA 6 on the PS5 Pro.

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