GTA 5 modder cancels Switch project after mocking Rockstar backfires

In late September, after their attempt to port Grand Theft Auto 5 to Switch went viral online, a modder named M0jso was feeling invincible. Rockstar Games had recently announced that modifying its games to run on unofficial platforms was against the rules, and that breaking them could lead to a ban or account termination. M0jso evidently didn't care. "Try me rockstar," the modder wrote on social media site X. "idgaf."

Days later, M0jso walked it all back — and apologized for their outburst. "I am sorry for not fulfilling your expectations and leaving you high and dry," the modder wrote. "I am thankful for take two's mercy."

For those who hadn't been following, M0jso was working on an impressive port of GTA 5 for the original Nintendo Switch. About a month ago, M0jso gained attention after posting a short clip of themselves flying over Los Santos on Nintendo's portable, all while reaching a stable 30 frames-per-second. Fans couldn't believe it. "I'm fucking sorry but, *what?*" one viewer replied. "How is this possible?"

The modder spent much of September boasting about their progress. They promised that they'd get GTA Online running on Switch, and that soon, players would be able to enjoy the game's recent Cayo Perico heist. They were riding on such a high at this point that they took a potshot at Rockstar on social media as well.

Three days after initially taunting Rockstar, everything came tumbling down. That's when M0jso shared a screenshot revealing that their dedicated Discord server had been terminated for copyright infringement. M0jso seemed genuinely surprised at the time. "Copyright infringement is anything but enforced in Serbia lmao," they wrote in response to someone who warned them that Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two, was notoriously litigious. "We're a third world shithole," M0jso explained.

Even so, M0jso wasn't fully deterred. On X, they claimed that they didn't care if the Discord shutdown was followed by a proper cease and desist letter from Take-Two.

"I can just ignore it lmao," the modder said.

Why GTA 5 Switch port modder backed down

Less than a week after that boast, M0jso allegedly received a C&D letter and immediately changed their tune. They announced that the project was canceled and that they would disband their production banner. Onlookers started throwing potshots at the modder almost immediately thanks to the tinkerer's earlier theatrics.

"Fuck you want me to do?" m0jso replied to a confused fan. "Fight them in court? I wasn't expecting them to hit back hard."

The modder said that they didn't think they could win in court and that "it would just be stupid to try and fight take two." M0jso mused that boasting about the project online would make it difficult to try and appeal to a jury if things ever got that far.

"I didn't know what I was getting into," M0jso wrote.

"I did get too cocky," M0jso admitted.