Summary
- A GTA 5 mod featuring Liberty City was shut down after "speaking to Rockstar Games."
- Many players suspect that the modders were forced to discontinue the project.
- Despite setbacks, the modding team remains passionate and aims to continue modding for the game.
An incredible Grand Theft Auto 5 mod that allowed players to revisit Liberty City has been shut down, marking a sad end to the excitement it generated in 2024. The modding community is no stranger to the contrasting attitudes of game companies towards mods. While some, like Bethesda, warmly embrace modding, others, including Nintendo and Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, frequently take a hard stance against it. Despite such challenges, modders remain dedicated to their craft, and the team behind this project has expressed their ongoing commitment to modding for GTA.
The modding group, World Travel, responsible for the Liberty City Preservation Project, shared the disheartening news on their Discord channel. They cited "unexpected attention" and subsequent discussions with Rockstar Games as the reasons for discontinuing the mod. Although no specific details were provided about their conversation with Rockstar, the team reaffirmed their passion for modding GTA, suggesting they will continue to create despite this setback.
Another GTA Mod Bites the Dust
While World Travel did not explicitly state they were forced to shut down the mod, the community widely suspects that Rockstar's "talks" were more of a legal warning than a friendly chat. The threat of a DMCA takedown is often enough to compel volunteer modders, who typically lack legal support, to cease their projects.
The reaction from fans has been one of frustration and disappointment, with many taking to social media to criticize Rockstar and Take-Two for their aggressive stance on mods. The absence of Liberty City in the upcoming GTA 6, which focuses on Vice City, fuels further discontent. Some speculate that Rockstar's actions may be motivated by concerns over the potential impact on GTA 4 sales, though this reasoning is met with skepticism, as GTA 4 continues to age and accessing the mod still necessitates owning GTA 5.
Despite the disappointment, the hope remains that World Travel's future GTA projects will fare better. However, given Take-Two's consistent approach to modding, it's unlikely their policies will shift in the near future.
