Take-Two Interactive has forced Rage:MP, one of the last two major multiplayer modifications for GTA 5, offline. The shutdown was processed via DMCA notice and an agreed wind-down; Rage:MP developers shut down their servers on May 25, 2026.
It’s the third mod service Take-Two has killed in the past 18 months. The publisher is methodically consolidating the GTA 5 mod scene ahead of GTA 6, which remains scheduled for November 2026 (Strauss Zelnick confirmed it on the May earnings call).
What Rage:MP was
Rage:MP is a client-side multiplayer mod for GTA 5, active since 2017. Functionally an alternative to FiveM, with a focus on server-side scripting and tighter integration with custom web APIs. Not as popular as FiveM (which Rockstar has owned since 2023), but it had a stable base of ~80–120 thousand monthly active players.
Rage:MP’s flagship products:
- RP servers (roleplay) — the biggest ones ran 500–1000 concurrent players.
- Custom modes — heists, racing mods, survival servers.
- Trade-economy servers — where players built internal economies tied to real money on the side.
That last point is the actual reason for the DMCA notice. Take-Two’s official statement explicitly cites “violation of the commercial terms of the EULA”.
The trend: mod-scene consolidation ahead of GTA 6
This isn’t the first shutdown. Since 2024 Take-Two has steadily taken down:
| Mod/service | Shut down | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| OpenIV (partial) | 2017 | Single-player asset access |
| GTA: Underground | 2018 | Unauthorized mapping |
| FiveM (acquisition) | 2023 | Not shut down — bought by Rockstar |
| RedM (acquisition) | 2023 | Not shut down — bought by Rockstar |
| alt:V Multiplayer | 2024 | FiveM competitor, DMCA |
| MP-GTA | 2025 | Small mod, DMCA |
| Rage:MP | 2026 | Current shutdown |
What’s left? Only FiveM, owned by Rockstar itself. That’s monopolization of the mod scene ahead of GTA 6 — a deliberate move: one controlled channel for community servers, through which Rockstar itself will monetize modding.
What Take-Two is saying
In a separate statement, Take-Two re-emphasized that:
- GTA 6 is on schedule for November 2026.
- The marketing campaign launches this summer (first major beat — June, at Summer Game Fest).
- GTA Online support after GTA 6 “doesn’t end”, but no more major updates.
That’s the formal position, but between the lines: GTA Online is winding down as a live product. Monetization will be tapered to avoid cannibalizing GTA 6’s online mode.
What it means for GTA Online software users
- FiveM is still alive. If you play on FiveM servers (including Rockstar-managed RP) — software keeps working. FiveM’s anti-cheat hasn’t changed; keep using your usual configs.
- Rage:MP users — migrate to FiveM. Most Rage:MP servers have already announced migration plans; character data doesn’t transfer, but reputation sometimes does.
- GTA Online (Rockstar Online Service) — the bigger shifts are here. Ahead of GTA 6, expect a final RAGE engine update with a refreshed anti-cheat (working name — BattlEye Plus). If you farm in Online, brace for a test window in August–September with a potential mass ban wave.
- HWID alts on GTA Online — risky strategy. Before GTA 6 launches, Take-Two is likely to consolidate the banlist and migrate hardware fingerprints into a new database — bans from GTA Online may resurface in GTA 6.
What to watch next
- June 2026 — Summer Game Fest, first major GTA 6 trailer.
- August 2026 — GTA Online beta services (rumored, with updated anti-cheat).
- November 2026 — GTA 6 release.
- December 2026 — Q1 2027 — GTA 6 Online.
For the GTA community this is the end of an era — the last independent multiplayer mods are gone, and the entire modding channel now sits under Rockstar’s roof. For GTA 5 software users — now is the best time to play actively and farm, because once GTA 6 launches, anti-cheat policy is going to get noticeably stricter.
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