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Mike Dailly, one of the original developers of Grand Theft Auto, has recently claimed that Rockstar Games, the company he helped to create, has filed copyright complaints against his blog and YouTube videos that showcase the prototype and development of the first GTA game.
Dailly was a founder of DMA Design, the studio that developed the classic games Lemmings and Grand Theft Auto, among others. DMA Design was acquired by Rockstar in 1998 and renamed as Rockstar North, the studio behind the GTA series and other titles such as Red Dead Redemption and L.A. Noire.
Dailly has been sharing his insights and memories of the game development process on his blog and YouTube channel, where he posted videos of the early versions of GTA, including a top-down view of the city and a rotating isometric view. He also wrote a complete history of the development of Lemmings, one of the most influential and popular games of the 90s.
However, Dailly recently discovered that some of his videos had been taken down due to a DMCA strike by Rockstar Games. He took to Twitter to express his frustration and disappointment with the company, calling them “full f***ers” and “Rocksuck”. He also said that he had removed the offending videos from YouTube to avoid further trouble.
Dailly’s accusations suggest that Rockstar is targeting such videos, although this complaint from the former developer was the first public mention of it. The media outlet Video Games Chronicle has contacted Rockstar to verify their version of events, but has not received a response yet.
Rockstar Games has a history of being hostile and aggressive towards the modding community and fan-made projects that use its products or intellectual property. The company has issued several DMCA takedowns and legal actions against popular mods and fan games, such as GTA Underground, GTA: Liberty City, and GTA: Vice City Stories PC Edition.
Rockstar’s parent company, Take-Two Interactive, has also been involved in these actions, and has stated that it generally does not take legal action against third-party projects that are single-player, non-commercial, and respect the intellectual property rights of third parties. However, this policy does not apply to multiplayer or online services, tools, files, libraries, or functions that could impact multiplayer or online services, use or importation of other IP (including other Rockstar IP) in the project, or making new games, stories, missions, or maps.
Many fans and modders have criticized Rockstar and Take-Two for their stance and actions, arguing that they stifle creativity, innovation, and fan appreciation. They also claim that mods and fan games do not harm the original games or the company’s profits, but rather enhance them and keep them alive and relevant.
Dailly’s case is especially ironic and sad, as he is one of the creators of the GTA franchise, and his videos and blog posts were meant to preserve and share a piece of gaming history and culture. His work also demonstrated how game development practices have changed and evolved over time, and how GTA was a groundbreaking and influential game that helped to establish the open-world genre.
It is unclear why Rockstar decided to target Dailly’s videos and blog, and whether they will continue to do so with other similar content. It is also unknown how Dailly will proceed with his work, and whether he will be able to restore or re-upload his videos and blog posts. What is clear, however, is that many fans and gamers are disappointed and outraged by Rockstar’s actions, and hope that the company will reconsider its approach and attitude towards the modding community and fan-made projects.
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