GTA 5 Liberty City Mod Shut Down

Liberty City GTA 5 Mod Shut Down Following Contact with Rockstar Games

A highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 5 mod recreating Liberty City has been discontinued. The news follows the mod's popularity in 2024. While some game developers embrace modding, others, like Rockstar Games' parent company Take-Two Interactive, are known for taking a more aggressive stance.

The modding team, World Travel, behind the "Liberty City Preservation Project," announced the shutdown on their Discord server. They cited "unexpected attention" and subsequent discussions with Rockstar Games as the reason for removing the mod. While the specifics remain undisclosed, the team emphasized their continued passion for GTA modding.

Another Casualty of Aggressive Mod Policies

While World Travel hasn't explicitly confirmed coercion, many players suspect the mod's closure resulted from legal pressure. Contact from Rockstar Games likely signaled the potential for legal action, such as a DMCA takedown. Independent modders, lacking legal representation, often comply with such warnings to avoid costly litigation.

The community's reaction has been overwhelmingly negative, with many criticizing Rockstar and Take-Two's aggressive anti-modding policies. This is particularly frustrating given the absence of Liberty City in the upcoming GTA 6, which currently focuses on Vice City. Concerns about impacting GTA 4 sales are likely unfounded, as the mod required ownership of GTA 5.

Despite the setback, World Travel's dedication to GTA modding remains strong. The future of their projects remains uncertain, however, given Take-Two's persistent anti-modding approach. The hope remains that future endeavors will fare better, but the current climate suggests otherwise.