Breaking: GTA 5 Liberty City Mod Discontinued

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 Rockstar Games' parent company Take-Two Interactive, take a more restrictive approach. This isn't the first time Take-Two has intervened, leading to the closure of numerous fan-made projects.

The developers behind the "Liberty City Preservation Project," the modding team 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 expressed their continued passion for GTA modding.

Another Casualty of Aggressive Mod Policies

While World Travel avoided explicitly stating they were compelled to shut down, many players suspect coercion. The phrasing suggests a seemingly amicable discussion, but it's likely Rockstar Games issued a warning about potential legal action, such as a DMCA takedown. Independent modders, often lacking legal representation, usually comply with such notices to avoid costly litigation.

The mod's fanbase has expressed significant disappointment, criticizing Rockstar and Take-Two's aggressive stance on modding. This reaction is amplified by the absence of Liberty City in the upcoming GTA 6, which currently focuses on Vice City. Concerns about GTA 4 sales impacting are speculated, though this seems unlikely given GTA 4's age and the requirement of owning GTA 5 to even play the mod.

Regardless of the reasoning, the Liberty City Preservation Project is unavailable. The modding community hopes future projects from World Travel will fare better, but Take-Two's approach to modding doesn't appear poised for change.