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), take a more restrictive approach. Despite this, the modding community persists.
The developers behind the "Liberty City Preservation Project," the modding team known as World Travel, announced the shutdown on their Discord server. They cited "unexpected attention" and subsequent communication with Rockstar Games as the reason for removing the mod. While the specifics remain undisclosed, the team confirmed their continued passion for GTA modding.
Another Casualty of Aggressive Mod Policies
While World Travel hasn't explicitly stated coercion, many suspect Rockstar Games pressured them to cease distribution. The phrasing suggests a discussion, but it's likely the team faced the prospect of legal action, such as a DMCA takedown. Independent modders often lack legal resources to contest such actions, leading to swift project closures.
The community's reaction has been overwhelmingly negative, with many criticizing Rockstar and Take-Two's aggressive stance on modding. This is particularly frustrating given the absence of Liberty City in the upcoming GTA 6, which currently features Vice City. While concerns about GTA 4 sales might be a factor, many argue this is illogical, as playing the mod still requires owning GTA 5. Regardless of the reasoning, the mod is inaccessible. The future of World Travel's projects remains uncertain, highlighting the ongoing tension between modding communities and publishers with stringent mod policies.
