The team behind GTA 5 role-playing server FiveM has issued a warning for users to refrain from using any content that might infringe third-party IP such as weapons and car brands and designs. This warning comes only two months after Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar Games acquired Cfx.re, the modding team behind the popular GTA 5 roleplay servers FiveM and RedM.
The warning was issued by Cfx.re in the October 2023 edition of Community Pulse where the team answered questions that were raised about the Platform License Agreement (PLA), with a focus on in-game cars among other things.
GTA 5 RP Server FiveM Is Removing Real-World Cars
The warning by Cfx.re in Community Pulse focused on in-game cars and asked players to remove all real-world car designs and badges from their servers. FiveM lets players drive real-world cars from brands like Mazda and Nissan, and while most of these servers are free to roam some also charge for access.
The Cfx.re team stated that to be fully compliant with the PLA, users must remove all real-world vehicles from the server and while “De-badging” them is a good start, it’s still not enough. Cfx.re stated,
You must fully remove all real-world vehicles from your server. 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) and the game developer (3D model).
Users using custom assets such as real-world brands, vehicle designs, and models, as well as models from other games or developers, might result in legal action against the server by the owners of the trademarks and assets. Therefore, the community must use their unique designs to create vehicles and brands for RP.
Apart from the cars, Cfx.re also added that users cannot import maps GTA 4, Red Dead Redemption, or any other games as FiveM and RedM are about users creating their own world in GTA 5 and RDR2. It further said that it does not support combining intellectual property or assets from other games regardless of whether it is developed by Rockstar Games or not. Cfx.re also clarified that none of the user-generated content is claimed by Rockstar.
The Statement Sees Backlash From the Community
This statement from Cfx.re was somehow already anticipated after it was acquired by Rockstar Games, but it hasn’t gone down well with the community. There have been mixed reactions, mostly being negative so far. While some fans have just accepted that this could have caused an issue for the launcher, others have criticized Rockstar, saying that this will affect the role-playing experience and believe that the servers will soon be dead.
Fans are disappointed as they feel that the servers will now be less realistic with the absence of real-world vehicles and ruin the immersive experience, which is one of the main aspects of role-playing. Some people have also predicted that this will result in a lot of servers being shut down, especially for those who rely on money from car sales donations.
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
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
Some fans also accused Cfx.re of killing FiveM and congratulated them for their pay cheque after the acquisition by Rockstar Games. Some users also plan to quit GTA 5 or just move to other platforms. FiveM is the key hoist of some of the most popular GTA 5 role-playing servers and has thousands of players playing every day.
The news also hints at the prospect of GTA 6 having its own RP experience. While the discussion goes on about the role-playing experience in GTA 5, the team at Cfx.re is still providing answers to the community’s doubts.
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