A GTA developer claims Rockstar has issued a copyright strike against his prototype videos

Rockstar Games has allegedly issued copyright strikes against two videos by original Grand Theft Auto developer Mike Dailly in which he showed old development materials.

In a tweet, the developer, who was one of the founders of DMA Design (now Rockstar North) said: “I see Rockstar are going full fuckers mode again, issuing copyright strikes to any GTA video they can find – including both my prototype videos.”

“So now they’re trying to block all release of anyone’s work on a game – and any old development footage.”

The prototype video in question showed off one of the original builds of GTA which was created in the mid-90s when the Dundee-based DMA Designs were still most well-known for the Lemming’s franchise.

Development documentation surrounding the creation of GTA is rare, but several of the original developers who worked at DMA during the series’ early days have posted some behind-the-scenes development videos in recent years.

Dailly’s allegation suggests that Rockstar is currently targeting those videos, though Dailly’s tweet is the first notable public mention of this.

VGC has reached out to Rockstar for comment, and will update this story should it respond.

Grand Theft Auto 6 will take place in an area based on Miami, and may feature a female playable character, it’s been claimed.

Bloomberg reports that the game, which it claims began development sometime in 2014, is “at least two years away”.

Further reading

New report backs claims Rockstar shelved remasters to fully focus on GTA 6

But Red Dead Redemption and GTA IV remasters could be revisited in the future, it’s claimed

“Early designs called for the inclusion of territories modelled after large swaths of North and South America,” the publication states. “The company reeled in those ambitions and cut the main map down to a fictional version of Miami and its surrounding areas.”

Last month, a Rockstar insider who’s accurately leaked information about the company’s games in the past claimed remasters of GTA IV and Red Dead Redemption “were on the table a few years ago” but are no longer planned.

Kotaku later backed up the claims. Citing sources with knowledge of Rockstar’s plans, it said the studio has – temporarily at least – parked the remasters to fully focus on GTA 6.