A player-made map mod for "Grand Theft Auto VI" (GTA 6) was recently forcibly taken down following a copyright claim from Take-Two. The mod's developer, Dark Space, had created a "GTA 6" map playable within "Grand Theft Auto V" (GTA 5), basing it on leaked coordinate data and official trailers.
However, the map mod's perceived high similarity to "GTA 6" seemingly prompted Take-Two to intervene swiftly, leading to the complete halt of its development and distribution.
According to reports, Dark Space showcased gameplay of the mod on his YouTube channel, offering it for free download. The mod quickly garnered attention from players, with many fans eager to get a glimpse of what "GTA 6" might look like. However, Take-Two recently filed a copyright claim with YouTube, demanding the removal of related videos, which successfully led to the content's takedown. As accumulating too many copyright strikes can lead to a YouTube channel being shut down, Dark Space proactively decided to remove all download links, effectively ending the mod's production.
In a response video, Dark Space stated that he was not surprised by Take-Two's actions, and even suggested that his mod might have been "too accurate," essentially leaking "GTA 6"'s map details ahead of time.
"I think my mod might have spoiled the official surprise, which is why Take-Two chose to intervene," he admitted, adding that if he were part of the development team, he wouldn't want players to preview the full map before the game's official release.
In an interview with IGN, Dark Space further explained that he had already anticipated Take-Two's intervention because the mod was based on a community-drawn "GTA 6" map project. This project reconstructed the game world using leaked coordinate data and bore a high resemblance to official content. Although his mod primarily referenced trailer footage, it could still impact official promotion, leading to its takedown.
This is certainly not the first time Take-Two has cracked down on fan-made mods. The company has previously taken legal action against unofficial modifications for the "Grand Theft Auto" series on multiple occasions. For instance, last year, it forcibly removed "GTA Vice City NextGen Edition," a mod that attempted to port "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" to the "Grand Theft Auto IV" engine.
Former Rockstar Games developer Obbe Vermeij also commented on the situation, believing that Take-Two's actions were aimed at protecting its business interests. "If a mod competes with an official product, Take-Two will almost certainly take action," he stated. "This is not something fans should be angry about, as these companies have the right to protect their work."
via： IGN