"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 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. The mod, which was free to download, utilized leaked coordinate data and official trailer shots to construct a fan-made version of the GTA 6 map. Dark Space shared gameplay footage on his YouTube channel, which garnered significant attention from eager GTA fans in January.

However, last week, Dark Space's project faced a setback when Take-Two issued a copyright removal request, resulting in a strike notification from YouTube. Multiple copyright strikes can lead to channel termination, prompting Dark Space to remove all download links to his mod. Despite not being directly asked by Take-Two to take down the mod, Dark Space expressed his frustration in a response video, suggesting that the accuracy of his map recreation might have been too close to the original for comfort.

In a subsequent interview with IGN, Dark Space shared a more philosophical view, stating he anticipated the takedown based on Take-Two's history of similar actions. He explained that his mod was heavily influenced by an online GTA 6 community mapping project, which uses leaked coordinates to precisely map out the upcoming game's world. Dark Space speculated that his project might have spoiled the surprise of GTA 6's map for players, a concern he understands given the years of effort invested in creating the game.

As a result, Dark Space has decided to end the project entirely, acknowledging that Take-Two clearly does not want it to exist. He plans to focus on creating content that his audience will enjoy, steering clear of further GTA 5 mods related to GTA 6 due to the potential risks involved.

There are now concerns that the GTA 6 community mapping project might be the next target for Take-Two. IGN has reached out to the group for their response.

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4 ImagesTake-Two has a track record of taking down fan projects, as seen with the recent takedown of the YouTube channel behind the 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition,' a mod that ports the world, cutscenes, and missions of 2002's Vice City into 2008's GTA 4.

A former Rockstar developer, Obbe Vermeij, defended Take-Two's actions, emphasizing that the company must protect its 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 interfere with potential remasters. Vermeij suggested that companies should be allowed to take down mods that threaten their business but should permit those that do not, such as the 'DCA3' project for GTA 3 on the Dreamcast.

While fans await the official release of GTA 6, IGN continues to cover related news, including insights from a former Rockstar developer on the possibility of GTA 6 being delayed until May 2025, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick's comments on the future of GTA Online post-GTA 6, and expert opinions on whether the PS5 Pro can run GTA 6 at 60 frames per second.