Rockstar publishes new mod guidelines for FiveM and RedM communities

Rockstar Games published new mod guidelines on September 10, setting out rules it says are intended to "maintain a fun, creative, and welcoming place for players and content creators."

The guidelines target mods for FiveM and RedM, the multiplayer modification platforms Rockstar acquired along with their developers in 2023. Under the new rules, modders must "respect our games" by avoiding expansions or modifications to official storylines, missions, and characters. Mods also cannot combine settings and characters from different Rockstar franchises.

The studio prohibits mods from incorporating other intellectual property or real-world likenesses. Cheat menus and modifications that interfere with official multiplayer and online services are also forbidden. Rockstar designates its official modding platforms as "the exclusive licensed home for our community to monetize their mods," blocking alternative monetization or commercialization of mods for its games.

The guidelines function as preventative cover for Rockstar to enforce its terms. On platforms Rockstar owns directly, such as FiveM, removing offending mods is straightforward. On third-party modding sites outside Rockstar's control, enforcement becomes more difficult. Rockstar has used takedown notices before: in 2021, it targeted modding projects that reverse-engineered or restored elements of older GTA games, shortly before announcing its GTA Trilogy remasters.