The modding community has always looked for ways to expand existing games., and GTA 5 has been no exception. Since details about GTA 6 were leaked, numerous fans have attempted to reproduce them in the current game. However, one of the most iconic projects has been removed by Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, citing copyright infringement.
Dark Space, a well-known modder, created a map based on the world of GTA 6 and implemented it in GTA 5 using the FiveM platform. To do so, he used leaked images and the game's first official trailer as a reference. This work attracted the attention of the community, generating great excitement among players who were eager to explore, even if only in a limited way, the city of Vice City in the new installment. The importance of this mod stands out in the context of Take-Two's actions against mods.
The mod was removed by Take-Two
The project's notoriety prompted Take-Two to take action. The company filed copyright claims on YouTube, removing the videos that featured the mod and threatening additional penalties. As a result, Dark Space decided to remove all download links on its own before the company could take direct legal action. Take-Two's history of removing mods has sparked debate about the legality of modifications in video games.
In a public statement, the modder expressed surprise at the speed with which Take-Two acted. “I expected Rockstar to remove my project at some point, but I didn't think they would do so without warning. If they had asked me to take it down, I would have done so without a problem.”, Dark Space explained. This reaction highlights the constant conflict between player creativity and copyright.
A mod that is too precise
One of the factors that could have triggered Take-Two's intervention is that, according to the creator of the mod, his version of the map was surprisingly accurate compared to what could be the game's official map. Based on leaks and analysis of promotional materials, the recreation could have largely matched the actual layout of GTA 6, which would have motivated legal action. This highlights the complexity of copyright in the creation of mod for GTA.
Although the mod only featured the map layout without characters or traffic, the community considered it one of the most ambitious efforts to date. It allowed players to explore a preliminary version of what Vice City could look like in the next title in the series.This fascination with GTA 5 mods can also be seen in other projects such as the Batman mod.
#READY # GTA6
Map by @Dark_SpaceYT pic.twitter.com/N8d2zgyyzf— mnm345 (@mnm345x) March 16, 2025
Rockstar's history with mods
This isn't the first time Rockstar and Take-Two have removed fan-created projects. In the past, other mods have been removed for similar reasons, especially those that recreated cities from previous games. A famous case was the Liberty City Preservation Project, an attempt to bring the city from GTA 4 to GTA 5, which also ended up being cancelled. This trend has led the community to wonder about the future of the best GTA V mods.
Despite these restrictions, modders continue to develop content for Rockstar games, albeit with increasing caution. Dark Space, for example, has stated that will avoid working on more GTA 6 related mods, as it believes that Take-Two will take action against any attempt to recreate elements of the new game before its official release. This fear is heightened by the recent mod removals by Take-Two.
The tension between copyright and the creativity of the gaming community is a recurring theme in the industry. As companies seek to protect their intellectual property, fans continue to explore ways to expand the gameplay experience.
