The modder behind a fan-made recreation of the Grand Theft Auto 6 map within Grand Theft Auto 5, known as 'Dark Space', has abruptly halted all work on the project following a copyright takedown issued by Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games. Dark Space crafted a free-to-download mod based on leaked coordinate data and official trailer visuals from GTA 6, sharing gameplay footage on his YouTube channel. The project garnered significant attention in January, attracting eager fans of the series who were keen to explore a fan-made version of the much-anticipated GTA 6 map ahead of its official release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S this fall.

However, the excitement was short-lived. Last week, Dark Space received a copyright strike notification from YouTube after Take-Two filed a removal request. With multiple strikes, a channel risks termination, prompting Dark Space to remove all download links to his mod preemptively, even though Take-Two hadn't directly requested it. In a response video, Dark Space criticized Take-Two's actions, suggesting the accuracy of his map recreation might have triggered the takedown.

In a subsequent interview with IGN, Dark Space expressed a more resigned perspective, stating that the takedown was expected given Take-Two's history of similar actions against fan projects. He noted that his mod was partly based on a community mapping project that used leaked data to accurately outline the GTA 6 map, which might have spoiled the surprise for future players. Dark Space empathized with Take-Two's position, acknowledging that revealing the map's layout and atmosphere ahead of the official release could detract from the game's experience.

With the project now completely abandoned, Dark Space plans to focus on creating content that aligns with what his audience enjoys, steering clear of further GTA 5 mods related to GTA 6 due to the risks involved. There is now apprehension within the community that the GTA 6 community mapping project could be the next target for Take-Two's legal actions. IGN has reached out to the group for their response.

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Take-Two has a track record of enforcing copyrights against fan projects, as seen with the recent takedown of the YouTube channel behind the 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition' mod, which updated the 2002 game into the 2008 GTA 4 engine. A former Rockstar developer, Obbe Vermeij, defended these actions on social media, explaining that Take-Two and Rockstar are simply protecting their commercial interests. He highlighted that mods like the 'VC NextGen Edition' could compete with official remasters, such as the Definitive Edition, while other mods like the Liberty City preservation project might interfere with potential future remasters.

Vermeij urged fans not to be upset about these business decisions, suggesting that companies should protect their interests. He noted that Take-Two has been somewhat lenient with mods that do not directly impact their business, such as the 'DCA3' mod for GTA3 on the Dreamcast. As fans eagerly await the release of GTA 6, they can delve into IGN's coverage on various related topics, including insights from a former Rockstar developer on potential delays, comments from Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick on the future of GTA Online, and expert analysis on whether the PS5 Pro will support GTA 6 at 60 frames per second.