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 Take-Two Interactive (Rockstar Games' parent company), are known for taking a stricter approach.
The modding team, World Travel, announced the closure of their "Liberty City Preservation Project" on their Discord server. They cited "unexpected attention" and subsequent conversations with Rockstar Games as the reason for the shutdown. While the specifics remain undisclosed, the team expressed their continued passion for GTA modding.
Another Casualty of Aggressive Mod Policies?
Although World Travel avoided explicitly stating they were forced to shut down, many players suspect this was the case. The phrasing suggests a discussion, but the likely scenario is a warning about potential 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 largely negative, with many criticizing Rockstar and Take-Two's aggressive stance on modding. This is particularly frustrating given the lack of confirmed Liberty City presence in the upcoming GTA 6, which currently focuses on Vice City. Concerns about impacting GTA 4 sales seem unfounded, as playing the mod still required ownership of GTA 5.
Regardless of the reasoning, the mod is no longer available. The future of World Travel's modding endeavors remains uncertain, highlighting the ongoing tension between modding communities and publishers with restrictive policies.
