Rockstar officially draws a hard line on GTA mods ahead of GTA 6

Rockstar Games has published a sweeping set of modding guidelines establishing what creators can and cannot do with Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption, and its other properties, which include the upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI.

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The new policy page, dated September 10, draws a particularly firm line around what modders are allowed to do with Rockstar's products. Modders are instructed not to expand or modify the company's established storylines, plots, missions, characters, or other narrative elements. Projects also cannot combine maps, locations, characters, or assets from different Rockstar games, which is one of the reasons the recently leaked early builds of GTA 6 environments, which are being modded into GTA 5, aren't being made publicly available on FiveM servers.

These policy changes would seemingly rule out unofficial story expansions, crossover projects, and mods that transfer locations or characters between games. Rockstar also prohibits modifying its titles to operate on consoles, hardware, or platforms where they were never officially released. This change is quite a common practice by developers. Notably, the wording doesn't prohibit emulation.

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Multiplayer modding is restricted to Rockstar's licensed Creator Platform, which is currently built around the company's Cfx.re technology, or projects separately licensed by Rockstar. The company acquired the team behind FiveM and RedM in 2023 and has since moved against competing multiplayer platforms. Mods outside Rockstar's Creator Platform can't be commercialized, and approved creators can sell content only through authorized digital storefronts. Real-money gambling, loot boxes, gacha systems, virtual-currency sales, and cryptocurrency are all prohibited.

The guidelines also ban unauthorized voiceover reuse, real-world likenesses without written permission, third-party advertising, and, strangely, military roleplay depicting real-world armed organizations. The banning of "roleplay or military simulations depicting real-world armed organizations" raises questions about how often this was occurring to warrant an official response from Rockstar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Open a question for an answer from TweakTown's coverage of this news, or ask your own below.

Question #1

How do Rockstar's rules affect FiveM and RedM creators using the Cfx.re Creator Platform?

Rockstar's rules limit FiveM and RedM creators to the licensed Creator Platform built around Cfx.re, so multiplayer modding is only allowed there or through other separately licensed projects. Creators outside that platform cannot commercialize their mods, and even approved creators can sell content only through authorized digital storefronts. The rules also block cross-game asset use, fan-made story expansions, and leaked GTA 6 assets being publicly released on FiveM servers.

Question #2

Can modders still use leaked GTA 6 environment builds in GTA 5 under the new policy?

No. Rockstar's new rules say modders cannot combine maps, locations, characters, or assets from different Rockstar games, which directly covers leaked GTA 6 environment builds being moved into GTA 5. The story also says that is why those leaked early builds are not being made publicly available on FiveM servers.

Question #3

Does Rockstar's policy allow emulation if a mod targets a platform the game never officially released on?

No. Rockstar's policy says mods cannot modify its titles to operate on consoles, hardware, or platforms where they were never officially released. The wording does not specifically prohibit emulation, but it does block the mod itself from targeting an unreleased platform.

Question #4

What content can approved creators sell through Rockstar's authorized digital storefronts?

Approved creators can sell their content only through Rockstar's authorized digital storefronts within its licensed Creator Platform. The rules also say that content sold that way cannot include real-money gambling, loot boxes, gacha systems, virtual-currency sales, or cryptocurrency.

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Rockstar does not specifically mention GTA 6, meaning the policy should not be interpreted as confirmation that the upcoming game will support mods, but given the popularity, it would be more surprising if Rockstar didn't have mod support for GTA 6 at some stage in the future. However, its publication shortly before GTA 6 launches establishes the boundaries creators will likely face if/when an official GTA 6 creator ecosystem eventually emerges.