The team behind Grand Theft Auto 5 role-play server FiveM has warned users to ditch any content that may infringe third-party intellectual property.
The warning comes just two months after GTA owner Rockstar acquired Cfx.re, the team behind the biggest Rockstar game roleplay and creator communities FiveM and RedM.
The warning begins with a focus on in-game cars. Some FiveM servers let players drive around in cars based on real-world models. Indeed, these freeroam servers are among the most popular available, and some even charge for access.
“You must fully remove all real-world vehicles from your server,” Cfx.re declared. “We cannot allow custom assets or mods that infringe third-party intellectual property (IP). Real-world brands, unique vehicle designs, and 3D software models are generally protectable under trademark or copyright. If you use a real-world car model pulled from another game without permission, that could result in claims against your server by both the car company (brand, logo, car design) or the game developer (3D model).
“What can you use instead? We encourage the community to get creative – design your own unique vehicles and brands!”
Cfx.re also said users cannot import the map from GTA 4, Red Dead Redemption, or any other games into their server. “FiveM and RedM are about creating your own custom version of the world in GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 respectively. We do not support combining IP or assets from other games into FiveM and RedM, regardless of whether developed by Rockstar or someone else.”
The warnings about copyright infringement were seen as inevitable by some after Rockstar brought Cfx.re in-house and made its work official, but others have bemoaned the move, saying it weakens the role-playing offering.
Everyone knew this was coming, time to abide by the simplest of copyright laws, or switch to another launcher.
— William Givens (@williamgivens64) October 13, 2023
Oh dear oh dear congrats guys well played your servers about to become empty pretty soon but a guess your paycheque was worth it 👏
— iQ Yu4 (@iq_yu4) October 13, 2023
All freeroam servers will need to remove all of their irld brand vehicles, maps, ped models, gun models, sounds, effects too which kinda killed freeroam servers because most of them (players) want to use irl branded cars like Skyline GTR for example
— Hariyanto Agung prasetyo (@UekyAgung) October 13, 2023
FiveM is the main host for some of the biggest GTA RP servers, and enjoys thousands of players even eight years after GTA5 came out on PC. The news comes ahead of the unveiling of Grand Theft Auto 6, and carries with it the prospect Rockstar plans to launch GTA 6 with its own online roleplaying features.
GTA 5 has consistently sold roughly five million units per quarter for the last several years, and GTA Online continues to be a major revenue driver for Take-Two. Developer Rockstar confirmed that GTA 6 was in active development last year, but has otherwise officially kept quiet on its progress. A massive leak late last year showed off some of the incomplete game, but Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick told IGN a few months later that while this was an "emotional matter" for developers, it hadn't impacted the business.
GTA 6 is expected to launch in either fiscal year 2025 or 2026. Fiscal 2025 begins April 2024.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.