GTA 5 modder behind Switch 1 port using Rockstar's leaked code says it's "shutting down" following action from the devs: "I am thankful for Take-Two's mercy"

As the wait for GTA 6 presses on, fans of Rockstar Games' beloved franchise are finding new ways to breathe life into older entries like GTA 5 – for instance by, uh, unofficially porting it to Nintendo's original Switch console.

Or, at least, attempting to. Paralympics Productions, a self-described "very serious game development studio" (yes, heavy on the sarcasm), has been working on a Switch port of GTA 5 for some time now, officially unveiling its release back in August on X.

Things have been relatively quiet – too quiet, perhaps – since, even after Rockstar cracked down on with strict new modding and porting guidelines earlier this month.

These guidelines made it clear that the studio doesn't allow ports of its games, reading, "Do not modify our games to operate on consoles, hardware devices, or other platforms where they have not been officially released by Rockstar Games."

So, in other words, Paralympics Productions' Switch port is a no-no… and Rockstar's parent company Take-Two Interactive has finally noticed it, with project lead "Mojso" admitting as much.

"Paralympics Productions is shutting down on October 3rd," he writes in a new post. "Thank you everyone who supported us through tough times and lengthy development. I am sorry for not fulfilling your expectations and leaving you high and dry."

There you have it – GTA 5 devs caught the project-in-progress and have effectively axed it… but, as Mojso says, they could've been more harsh with their legal action.

"I am thankful for Take-Two's mercy so this is the definitive end," he admits. In other words, Take-Two didn't pursue a full-on lawsuit, it appears, perhaps opting for a warning and takedown order instead.

Mojso seems pleased with that, at least, stating in a response that he "wouldn't win in court most likely" as Rockstar has "solid grounds" and his attitude means he "can't even appeal to a jury or something like I didn't know what I was getting into."

He also explains that the port "was gonna release in the coming days" and "I wish Take-Two gave me more time," but it's all a bit too late now. And, no, he's "not releasing anything new and I'm not coming back."

As Mojso confirms, "it's truly over." It's disappointing for Switch enthusiasts and GTA 5 stans alike, but it's not exactly surprising. This isn't the first time a port was considered by eager modders, either.

GTA 5 modders got the game running on the Nintendo Switch way back in 2024 after the game's source code first leaked, so… yeah. I'm not sure it'll ever quite work out the way that fans hope, especially considering Rockstar's recent guideline changes.

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