Home Rockstar may introduce new modding features for GTA Online – report

Rockstar may introduce new modding features for GTA Online – report

TL:DR

  • Rockstar may add new modding features to GTA Online after acquiring Cfx.re in 2023.
  • The initial "FiveM-Killer" project started in 2021 but failed due to lack of resources.
  • The project could make GTA Online similar to Fortnite or Roblox, with user-generated content.

Rockstar, the developer of the fan-favorite game Grand Theft Auto, may be introducing new modding features for GTA Online. The company acquired Cfx.re, the team responsible for the platforms FiveM and RedM for GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, in 2023.

However, former employees have reported that Rockstar started the project in a bid “to rival FiveM,” in 2021 but dropped it soon. Citing an ex-FiveM employee, GTA Focal reports that developers were working on a “FiveM-Killer inside of Rockstar.” They go on to say that they were given “zero sources, zero debug symbols, and zero info”, causing the project to fail two years before they had joined the team.

They added: “They were supposed to be advising and judging our team and reporting back to Rockstar on what were like. Obviously, they were not impressed. This led to the project being revived.”

Why is Rockstar focusing on GTA Online?

This project is believed to be part of Rockstar’s strategic plans for the evolution of GTA Online, focusing on user-generated content (UGC) through its exclusive modding resources. If they are successful, GTA could transform into a platform similar to Fortnite or Roblox.

GTA Focal states that this move could help Rockstar as it will be able to manage content, host, and run microtransactions. It also suggested that this project could involve a “conversion tool from FiveM.” The fansite speculated that this transition might help Rockstar assume complete control over FiveM.

In addition, a few weeks back, data miner Tez2 discovered references to a public version of the Mission Creator in the game’s code, which appears to be linked to the modding tools.

However, NTA, the founder of Cfx.re/FiveM, has addressed the claims made in the GTA Focal article. The FiveM creator shared a series of tweets clarifying that she “had nothing to do with said article” and criticized it as “barely proofread” and “full of venting.”

She stated, “most of the contents, insofar as they’d come from me… seem glued together from forum posts and my old tweet thread… and hyperbole from people with irrational anger towards things.”

The project is set to be launched for GTA Online in early fall, although there is no actual confirmation yet.

This could be a way to keep fans entertained ahead of the GTA 6’s release during the fall of 2025.

Featured image: Rockstar

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Suswati Basu
Tech journalist

Suswati Basu is a multilingual, award-winning editor and the founder of the intersectional literature channel, How To Be Books. She was shortlisted for the Guardian Mary Stott Prize and longlisted for the Guardian International Development Journalism Award. With 18 years of experience in the media industry, Suswati has held significant roles such as head of audience and deputy editor for NationalWorld news, digital editor for Channel 4 News and ITV News. She has also contributed to the Guardian and received training at the BBC As an audience, trends, and SEO specialist, she has participated in panel events alongside Google. Her…

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