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 considerable excitement generated by the mod in 2024.

While some game developers embrace modding, others take a more restrictive approach. Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar Games' parent company, has a history of taking action against mods, similar to Nintendo. Despite this, the modding community persists. The developers behind the "Liberty City Preservation Project," known as World Travel, 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 specifics remain undisclosed, the team affirmed their ongoing passion for GTA modding.

Another Casualty in the Modding Wars

Although World Travel hasn't explicitly confirmed coercion, many players suspect the mod's closure resulted from pressure from Rockstar Games. The phrasing suggests a seemingly amicable conversation, but it's likely the team received a warning about potential legal repercussions, such as a DMCA takedown. Given the volunteer nature of most modding teams and their lack of legal representation, such warnings often lead to immediate project termination.

The mod's closure has sparked considerable backlash on social media, with fans criticizing Rockstar and Take-Two's aggressive stance on modding. This criticism is amplified by the absence of a Liberty City return in the upcoming GTA 6, which currently focuses on Vice City. While concerns about impacting GTA 4 sales are possible, many argue this is illogical, as playing the mod still requires owning GTA 5. Regardless of the reasoning, the mod is inaccessible, leaving fans hoping future World Travel projects fare better. However, Take-Two's approach to modding doesn't appear likely to change.