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 mod's popularity in 2024 and has left many players disappointed.

While some game developers embrace modding, others, like Take-Two Interactive (Rockstar Games' parent company), are known for taking a more restrictive approach. The modding community, however, persists despite facing frequent takedowns.

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 discussions with Rockstar Games as the reason for removing the mod. While the specifics remain undisclosed, the team emphasized their continued passion for GTA modding.

Another GTA Mod Falls Victim to Legal Pressure

Although World Travel avoided explicitly stating coercion, many players suspect the mod's closure stemmed from legal pressure. The phrasing suggests a seemingly amicable conversation, but a likely scenario involves a warning about potential legal action, such as a DMCA takedown. Given that most modders lack legal representation, such warnings often lead to project termination.

The community's reaction has been overwhelmingly negative, with many criticizing Rockstar and Take-Two for their aggressive stance on modding. This frustration is amplified by the absence of Liberty City in the upcoming GTA 6, which currently features only Vice City. While Take-Two's concern might be impacting GTA 4 sales, many argue this is illogical as playing the mod still requires owning GTA 5.

Regardless of the reasoning, the Liberty City Preservation Project is no longer available. The modding community hopes future projects from World Travel will fare better, but Take-Two's approach to modding doesn't appear likely to change.