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

The modder known as 'Dark Space,' who developed a playable version of the Grand Theft Auto 6 map within Grand Theft Auto 5, has discontinued the project following a copyright takedown by Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar Games. Dark Space had utilized leaked coordinate data and official trailer footage to create this free-to-download mod, which garnered significant attention from GTA enthusiasts eager for a sneak peek at the upcoming game.

In January, Dark Space's mod and related YouTube videos went viral, drawing in fans eager to explore what GTA 6 might offer upon its release for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S later this year. However, the excitement was short-lived as Take-Two issued a copyright strike against Dark Space's YouTube content last week, threatening the channel's existence with potential further strikes.

In response, Dark Space preemptively removed all download links to his mod, despite not receiving a direct request from Take-Two to do so. He also posted a video on his channel criticizing Take-Two's actions, suggesting that the accuracy of his map recreation might have been the trigger for the takedown.

In a subsequent interview with IGN, Dark Space expressed a philosophical stance on the situation, noting that he anticipated such a reaction from Take-Two based on their history of targeting fan projects. He speculated that the detailed nature of his mod, which was closely aligned with community efforts to map GTA 6's world using leaked data, might have threatened to spoil the game's surprise elements for players.

Dark Space has decided to abandon the project entirely, stating, "Well they clearly do not want this project to exist... So it's not just under threat, it's eliminated." He plans to focus on creating content that is less likely to attract legal action, indicating a shift away from GTA 5 mods related to GTA 6.

There are now concerns within the GTA community that the ongoing mapping project, which Dark Space's mod was based on, could be the next target for Take-Two's legal team. 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 aimed to update the 2002 game for the 2008 GTA 4 engine. A former Rockstar developer, Obbe Vermeij, defended these actions, emphasizing that Take-Two and Rockstar are protecting their commercial interests by targeting mods that could compete with their official releases.

As the gaming community awaits the official launch of GTA 6, IGN continues to provide in-depth coverage, including insights from former Rockstar developers on potential delays, the future of GTA Online, and the performance expectations for GTA 6 on the upcoming PS5 Pro.

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