GTA 5 Liberty City Mod Shut Down

GTA 5 Liberty City 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 and has left many players disappointed.

While some game developers embrace modding, others, like Take-Two Interactive (Rockstar Games' parent company), frequently take action against fan-made projects. The modding community, despite facing legal challenges from publishers such as Nintendo and Take-Two, persists. This situation is no exception, with the development team, World Travel, expressing their intention to continue modding, citing their passion for the project.

World Travel announced the cessation of the "Liberty City Preservation Project" on their Discord server. They cited "unexpected attention" and subsequent communication with Rockstar Games as the reason for the mod's removal. While the specifics remain undisclosed, the team's statement suggests the decision was made after discussions with Rockstar.

Another Modding Project Halted

Although World Travel avoided explicitly stating they were compelled to shut down, many suspect coercion. The phrasing of "speaking to Rockstar Games" implies a collaborative discussion, but it's widely believed the team received a warning about potential legal action, such as a DMCA takedown. Given that most modders are volunteers without legal representation, such warnings often result in immediate project termination.

The community's reaction has been overwhelmingly negative, with many criticizing Rockstar and Take-Two for their aggressive stance on modding. The frustration is heightened by the absence of any official announcement regarding a Liberty City return in GTA 6, with only Vice City currently confirmed. Concerns that the mod might negatively impact GTA 4 sales have been raised, though this argument is contested, as playing the mod still requires owning GTA 5, and GTA 4 is an older title. Regardless, the mod is no longer available, and the future of World Travel's modding endeavors remains uncertain under Take-Two's current policy.