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 created a playable recreation of the Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) map within Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA 5), has officially ceased all work on the project following a takedown notice from Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar Games.

Dark Space's mod was based on leaked coordinate data and official trailer shots of GTA 6, and he shared gameplay footage on his YouTube channel. The mod garnered significant attention in January, attracting GTA fans eager to explore a fan-made version of the upcoming game's map 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 from YouTube after Take-Two issued a removal request. Faced with the threat of channel termination due to multiple copyright strikes, Dark Space proactively removed all download links to his mod and addressed the situation in a response video on his channel. He speculated that Take-Two's action might be due to his mod's "probably a little too accurate" representation of the GTA 6 map.

In an interview with IGN, Dark Space expressed a philosophical acceptance of the takedown, noting that he had anticipated such a move based on Take-Two's history of targeting fan projects. He suggested that his mod, which utilized data from an online GTA 6 community mapping project, might have spoiled the surprise of the game's map for players and the wider internet audience.

Understanding Take-Two's perspective, Dark Space acknowledged the company's interest in protecting the unveiling of their meticulously crafted game world. 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."

Moving forward, Dark Space plans to focus on creating content that his audience enjoys, steering clear of any future GTA 5 mods related to GTA 6 due to the potential risks involved. There is now speculation that the GTA 6 community mapping project could be the next target of Take-Two's enforcement actions.

Take-Two's history of addressing fan projects includes the recent takedown of the YouTube channel behind the 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition,' a mod that recreated the world, cutscenes, and missions of 2002's Vice City within 2008's GTA 4. A former Rockstar developer, Obbe Vermeij, defended these actions, emphasizing that Take-Two and Rockstar are protecting their commercial interests. He pointed out that mods like the 'VC NextGen Edition' and the 'Liberty City preservation project' could compete with official releases like the Definitive Edition and potential future remasters.

While the gaming community awaits the launch of GTA 6, IGN continues to provide in-depth coverage on related topics, including insights from former Rockstar developers on potential delays, statements from Take-Two's leadership on the future of GTA Online, and expert opinions on the performance capabilities of the PS5 Pro with GTA 6.

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