GTA 5 AI Mod Taken Down by Take-Two Lawyers

The creator behind a groundbreaking AI mod for Grand Theft Auto (GTA) has encountered a roadblock as game publisher Take-Two has forcefully shut down the mod entirely. Bloc, the mind behind the Sentient Streets mods for GTA 5, employed artificial intelligence to generate realistic conversations with non-player characters (NPCs) within the game.

Just days ago, we highlighted the innovative Sentient Streets mods by Bloc, which introduced AI-driven dialogues with NPCs in GTA 5. However, both the mod’s NexusMods listing and a YouTube video showcasing its gameplay have been rendered inaccessible following copyright claims filed by Take-Two. This abrupt action by the publisher has effectively eliminated the possibility of downloading Sentient Streets.

In response to the takedown, Bloc posted a statement on YouTube, which was later shared with Eurogamer. The statement revealed that the YouTube video and an installation guide on Netlify were abruptly removed without prior warning by Take-Two. Subsequently, the mod’s listing on NexusMods was also removed due to a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown initiated by Take-Two.

Bloc expressed bewilderment over the lack of communication from Take-Two prior to these actions. “No one from Take-Two Interactive contacted and asked me anything prior to this, they just took down the video out of nowhere,” said Bloc, suggesting that the DMCA request appeared to be a deliberate manual action rather than an automated process.

As a lifelong fan of the Grand Theft Auto series, Bloc expressed disappointment at the confrontational approach adopted by Take-Two towards their creation: “I must say, as a person who grew up with the Grand Theft Auto series and enjoyed all the games throughout the years, this hostile attitude towards me and the mod is very disheartening.”

Despite the situation, Bloc stated their willingness to engage in dialogue with Take-Two. However, the publisher opted for a non-communicative stance, refraining from open conversation with the mod creator.

Bloc’s perplexity extended to the inconsistency of Take-Two’s actions. The modder questioned why there are countless YouTube videos featuring GTA 5 gameplay that have been available for over a decade without encountering similar problems. This led Bloc to suspect that the takedown was motivated by reasons other than copyright concerns.

While the Sentient Streets mod was available for free download and was open-source, it refrained from using voices from GTA 5 or distributing any unauthorized content. Bloc, a solo modder, highlighted the challenges in legally defending their work against a large corporation like Take-Two.

The situation has ignited concerns about the power of corporations in these scenarios, potentially undermining the creativity and efforts of individual creators. Bloc concluded their statement by quoting a sentiment previously expressed by Rockstar, the developer behind the GTA series: “Rockstar Games has always believed in reasonable fan creativity and wants creators to showcase their passion for our games.” This statement now bears a poignant irony as the modding community grapples with the implications of such takedowns.