The modder known as Dark Space, who developed a playable recreation of the Grand Theft Auto 6 map within Grand Theft Auto 5, has officially ceased all work on the project following a takedown notice from Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two. The mod, which was free to download, was based on leaked coordinate data and official trailer footage from GTA 6. Dark Space shared gameplay videos on his YouTube channel, which garnered significant attention from eager GTA fans in January, eager for a glimpse of the upcoming game set to launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S this fall.

However, last week, Take-Two issued a copyright strike against Dark Space's YouTube channel, prompting the modder to remove all download links to the mod preemptively, despite not being directly asked to do so by Take-Two. In a response video, Dark Space criticized Take-Two's actions, suggesting that the accuracy of his map recreation might have been too close to the real thing, potentially spoiling the surprise for fans.

In a subsequent interview with IGN, Dark Space expressed a more resigned perspective, noting that he anticipated such a response based on Take-Two's history of takedowns. He acknowledged that his map, which utilized data from an online GTA 6 community mapping project, might have compromised the unveiling of GTA 6's map. He empathized with Take-Two's position, stating that he would also want to protect the experience of a meticulously crafted game world from being spoiled prematurely.

As a result, Dark Space has decided to abandon the project entirely, recognizing that continuing to work on it would go against Take-Two's clear stance. He plans to focus on creating other types of content that his audience might enjoy, steering clear of further GTA 5 mods related to GTA 6 due to the apparent risks involved.

Concerns now arise about the future of the GTA 6 community mapping project, which could be the next target for Take-Two's legal actions. IGN has reached out to the group for their response.

Take-Two has a track record of shutting down fan projects, including the recent takedown of the YouTube channel behind the 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition,' which adapted Vice City's content into the GTA 4 engine. A former Rockstar developer, Obbe Vermeij, defended these actions, emphasizing that Take-Two and Rockstar are protecting their commercial interests. He noted that while it's understandable for fans to feel frustrated, companies must act to safeguard their business, particularly when mods could compete with official releases like the Definitive Edition or potential future remasters.

In the meantime, as fans await the release of GTA 6, they can explore IGN's coverage on various topics related to the game, including insights from an ex-Rockstar developer on the possibility of delays, Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick's comments on GTA Online's future, and expert opinions on the performance capabilities of the PS5 Pro for running GTA 6.

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