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 owner of Rockstar Games.
Dark Space's mod was based on leaked coordinate data and official trailer shots of GTA 6, offering fans a free-to-download experience that garnered significant attention in January. The modder shared gameplay footage on his YouTube channel, attracting a large audience eager for any glimpse of the upcoming game.
However, last week, Dark Space received a copyright strike from YouTube after Take-Two issued a removal request. Faced with the potential termination of his channel due to multiple strikes, Dark Space preemptively removed all download links to his mod and addressed the situation in a response video. He suggested that the accuracy of his map recreation might have been the reason for Take-Two's action.
In an interview with IGN, Dark Space expressed a philosophical acceptance of the takedown, noting that he anticipated such a move based on Take-Two's history of targeting fan projects. He acknowledged that his mod, which was partly based on an online community mapping project, could have spoiled the surprise of GTA 6's map for players.
As a result, Dark Space has decided to abandon the project entirely, 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 that his audience might enjoy, steering clear of further GTA 5 mods related to GTA 6.
Concerns are now rising within the GTA 6 community about the potential targeting of the community mapping project by Take-Two. IGN has reached out to the group for comment.
Take-Two's history of taking down fan projects includes the recent takedown of the 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition' YouTube channel, which ported elements from the 2002 game into the 2008 GTA 4 engine. A former Rockstar developer, Obbe Vermeij, defended these actions, stating that Take-Two and Rockstar are protecting their business interests by removing mods that could compete with their official releases.
While fans await the official release of GTA 6, IGN continues to provide coverage on related topics, including insights from former Rockstar developers and expert opinions on the game's potential performance on next-gen consoles.
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