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 created a playable recreation of the Grand Theft Auto 6 map within Grand Theft Auto 5, has officially ceased all work on the project following a takedown notice from Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two. The mod, which was free to download and based on leaked coordinate data and official trailer shots of GTA 6, garnered significant attention in January from eager fans awaiting the official release of GTA 6 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S this fall.

Dark Space's project came under fire last week when he received a copyright strike notification from YouTube, initiated by Take-Two. This action threatened the potential termination of his channel, as multiple copyright strikes can lead to such an outcome. In response, Dark Space not only removed all download links for his mod but also addressed the situation in a response video on his channel. He suggested that the accuracy of his mod's map might have been too close to the real GTA 6 map, prompting Take-Two's aggressive response.

In a subsequent interview with IGN, Dark Space expressed a philosophical stance on the takedown, noting it was within his expectations given Take-Two's history of targeting similar projects. He acknowledged that his mod might have spoiled the surprise of the GTA 6 map, which he understood from Take-Two's perspective, given their extensive efforts in creating the game world.

As a result, Dark Space has completely abandoned the GTA 6 mod project, 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 shift his focus to creating content that his audience will enjoy, while avoiding further GTA 5 mods related to GTA 6 due to the risks involved.

Concerns have also arisen within the GTA 6 community about whether the mapping project, from which Dark Space drew some of his data, might be the next target of Take-Two's legal actions. IGN has reached out to the group for comment on this matter.

Take-Two's history of takedowns includes the recent shutdown of the YouTube channel for the creators of the 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition,' a mod that ported elements from 2002's Vice City into 2008's GTA 4. A former Rockstar developer, Obbe Vermeij, defended these actions, explaining that Take-Two and Rockstar are protecting their commercial interests. He noted that mods like the 'VC NextGen Edition' directly compete with official releases such as the Definitive Edition, while others like the Liberty City preservation project could interfere with potential remasters.

While fans await the release of GTA 6, IGN provides ongoing coverage of related news, including insights from a former Rockstar developer on potential delays, comments from Take-Two's CEO on the future of GTA Online, and expert opinions on the performance capabilities of the PS5 Pro for GTA 6.

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