Rockstar Games have updated their single-player mods policy to include roleplay servers and to be aligned with Take-Two Interactive’s legal enforcement policy. This surprise announcement came via Rockstar Support’s official Twitter account with a link to their support website. Also in this article we will go over what this means for GTA RP players and their communities.
Full statement
Here’s the full webpage with the statement in full:
“Question: Are Roleplay (RP) Servers Allowed?
Answer: Rockstar Games has always believed in reasonable fan creativity and wants creators to showcase their passion for our games. Third party “Roleplay” servers are an extension of the rich array of community-created experiences within Grand Theft Auto that we hope will continue to thrive in a safe and friendly way for many years to come.
As such, Take-Two’s legal enforcement policy will be aligned with our current PC Single-Player mods policy, with priority in enforcement actions focused on: (i) misuse of Rockstar Games trademarks or game intellectual property (IP); (ii) importation or misuse of other IP in the project, including other Rockstar IP, real-world brands, characters, trademarks or music; (iii) commercial exploitation, including the sale of “loot boxes” for real-world currency or its in-game equivalent, the sale of virtual currencies, generating revenue via corporate sponsorships or in-game integrations, or the use of cryptocurrencies or crypto assets (e.g. “NFTs”); (iv) making new games, stories, missions, or maps; or (vii) interfering with our official multiplayer or online services, including Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Online.
This is not a license, and it does not constitute endorsement, approval, or authorization of any third-party project. Take-Two reserves the right to object to any third-party project, or to revise, revoke and/or withdraw this statement at any time in their own discretion. This statement does not constitute a waiver of any rights that Take-Two may have with respect to third-party projects.”
What does this mean for players?
Based on their words, Take-Two want to take action on servers who are missing trademarks or IP owned by Rockstar Games. This is due to some people using them to mislead players or other similarly bad reasons.
The webpage also clearly states they prohibit the selling of “loot boxes” inexchange for real-world money as well as its in-game equivalent such as GTA$. You also cannot sell virtual in-game currency plus generate “revenue via corporate sponsorships or in-game integrations, or the use of cryptocurrencies or crypto assets (e.g. NFTs)”. This is a concrete stance against NFTs or any form of crypto by Rockstar which plenty of people will be pleased to see.
Some people might see this as a negative but Rockstar clearly state they have “always believed in reasonable fan creativity and wants creators to showcase their passion for our games. Third party “Roleplay” servers are an extension of the rich array of community-created experiences within Grand Theft Auto that we hope will continue to thrive in a safe and friendly way for many years to come.” So there you have Rockstar openly acknowledging GTA RP servers and are not taking them down as long as they don’t break their policy rules as mentioned above.
What has caused this change?
We can only speculate but there has been an increase in NFT/crypto or lootbox related GTA RP items servers have been up for sale including by rapper Lil Durk. According to a press release in October, the rapper’s GTA RP server is offering a “Trenches Pass” that includes a GTA Online Loot Box, access to the RP server and more “perks”. Given this is from a high profile artist, it might have caught the attention of Take-Two rather than small NFT/crypto focused communities who don’t have many players. We will report any developments on this story.
UPDATE:
According to various well-known rap social media accounts, Lil Durk’s GTA RP server has been requested to be taken offline by Rockstar and Take-Two. They are complying with the request.
If you want to know what some of the best GTA roleplay servers are in 2022, we made a list for you here.
Stay tuned for more GTA V, GTA RP and Rockstar Games news with RockstarINTEL.
