"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 officially halted all work on his ambitious project, a playable recreation of the Grand Theft Auto 6 map within Grand Theft Auto 5, following a takedown notice from Take-Two, the owners of Rockstar Games. Dark Space had crafted this mod using leaked coordinate data and official trailer visuals from GTA 6, making it freely available for download. The mod, along with gameplay footage shared on his YouTube channel, captured the attention of eager GTA fans in January, offering them a taste of what might be expected when GTA 6 hits the shelves for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S later this year.

However, the project's momentum was abruptly stopped last week when Dark Space received a copyright strike from YouTube, prompted by a removal request from Take-Two. Multiple such strikes could lead to the termination of a YouTube channel, a risk that prompted Dark Space to preemptively remove all download links to his mod. Despite not being directly asked by Take-Two to do so, he also released a response video on his channel, criticizing the company and hinting that the accuracy of his map recreation might have been too close for comfort.

In a subsequent interview with IGN, Dark Space expressed a more resigned perspective, admitting that he anticipated this outcome given Take-Two's history of takedowns. He speculated that his mod's reliance on an online GTA 6 community mapping project, which meticulously charts the game's world using leaked coordinates, could have been the trigger for Take-Two's action. Dark Space acknowledged that his work might have spoiled the surprise of GTA 6's map for fans, empathizing with Take-Two's desire to maintain the game's mystery.

Consequently, Dark Space has declared the end of his GTA 6 mod project, emphasizing that Take-Two's stance leaves no room for continuation. He plans to focus on creating content that his audience enjoys, steering clear of any further GTA 5 mods related to GTA 6, citing the potential risks involved.

The ripple effect of this takedown has raised concerns that the GTA 6 community mapping project might be next on Take-Two's radar, with IGN reaching out for further comments on the matter.

GTA 6 Key Art's Hidden Map..?

4 ImagesTake-Two's history of targeting fan projects is well-documented, with the recent example being the takedown of the YouTube channel behind the 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition,' a project that brought the world, cutscenes, and missions of the 2002 Vice City into the 2008 GTA 4 engine.

A former Rockstar developer, Obbe Vermeij, has defended Take-Two's actions, stating that both Take-Two and Rockstar are simply safeguarding their business interests. Vermeij pointed out that mods like the 'VC NextGen Edition' directly compete with official releases like the Definitive Edition, while other fan projects could potentially interfere with future remasters. He suggested that fans should not be angered by these corporate decisions but instead hope that Take-Two allows mods that do not conflict with their business strategies.

As fans eagerly await the release of GTA 6, they can stay updated with IGN's comprehensive coverage, including insights from an ex-Rockstar developer on potential delays, comments from Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick regarding the future of GTA Online post-GTA 6, and expert analysis on the performance capabilities of the PS5 Pro for running GTA 6 at 60 frames per second.