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

The modder behind a fan-made recreation of the Grand Theft Auto 6 map in Grand Theft Auto 5, known as 'Dark Space,' has halted all work on the project following a takedown notice from Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two. Dark Space had developed a free-to-download mod based on leaked coordinate data and official trailer visuals of GTA 6, sharing gameplay footage on his YouTube channel. The mod and related videos gained significant attention in January, attracting eager fans awaiting the official release of GTA 6 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. Facing potential termination of his channel with further strikes, Dark Space preemptively removed all download links to his mod and posted a video on his channel criticizing Take-Two's move, suggesting the mod's accurate depiction of the GTA 6 map might be the reason for the takedown.

In a subsequent interview with IGN, Dark Space expressed that he was not surprised by the action, having anticipated it due to Take-Two's history of targeting similar projects. He speculated that his mod might have spoiled the surprise of GTA 6's map for players, a concern that could explain Take-Two's aggressive response.

As a result, Dark Space has ceased all development on the GTA 6 mod, 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." He plans to focus on creating other content, avoiding further GTA 5 modding related to GTA 6 due to the perceived risks.

Concerns are now mounting that the GTA 6 community mapping project, which provided some of the data for Dark Space's mod, might also be targeted by Take-Two. IGN has reached out to the group for their response.

Take-Two's history of enforcing copyright includes the recent takedown of the 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition' YouTube channel, which had ported elements from 2002's Vice City into the 2008 GTA 4 engine. A former Rockstar developer, Obbe Vermeij, defended these actions, stating that Take-Two and Rockstar are protecting their commercial interests by targeting mods that could compete with their official products or future releases.

While fans await the release of GTA 6, they can explore IGN's coverage on related topics, including insights from a former Rockstar developer on potential delays for GTA 6, comments from Take-Two's CEO on the future of GTA Online, and discussions on the capabilities of the PS5 Pro in running GTA 6.

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