GTA 5 Liberty City Mod Shut Down

Summary

• A Grand Theft Auto 5 mod recreating Liberty City has been shut down following communication with Rockstar Games.
• Many believe the modders were compelled to cease development due to pressure from Rockstar.
• Despite this setback, the modding team, World Travel, remains dedicated to future GTA modding projects.

A highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 5 mod, the Liberty City Preservation Project, allowing players to revisit Liberty City, has been discontinued. This follows the considerable excitement surrounding the mod's release in 2024.

While some game developers, such as Bethesda, actively encourage modding, others take a stricter approach. Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar Games' parent company, has a history of taking action against mods, mirroring similar practices by Nintendo. Despite this, the dedicated modding community persists. Even with this recent closure, the modding team behind the Liberty City Preservation Project expresses their continued passion for GTA modding.

The World Travel team announced the project's discontinuation on their Discord server, citing "unexpected attention" and subsequent discussions with Rockstar Games. While specifics remain undisclosed, the team confirmed their ongoing interest in GTA modding.

Another GTA Mod Falls Victim to Cease and Desist?

Although World Travel hasn't explicitly confirmed coercion, many suspect the mod's closure resulted from pressure from Rockstar Games. The phrasing suggests a seemingly amicable conversation, but it's highly probable that the team received warnings about potential legal repercussions, such as a DMCA takedown, for continuing public distribution. Given that most modders are volunteers lacking legal representation, such contact often leads to immediate project termination.

Disappointment is widespread among fans of the Liberty City Preservation Project. Many have criticized Rockstar and Take-Two on social media for their aggressive stance against modding. This criticism is amplified by the absence of a confirmed Liberty City return in GTA 6, with only Vice City currently showcased. Speculation suggests concern about potential impact on GTA 4 sales, though this is contested by many, as playing the mod still requires ownership of GTA 5, and GTA 4 is an older title. Regardless of the reasoning, the mod is now inaccessible. One can only hope future World Travel projects fare better, although Take-Two's approach to modding doesn't appear poised to change.