GTA 5 Switch Port Dies After Take-Two Cease-and-Desist

An unofficial attempt to run Grand Theft Auto 5 on the Nintendo Switch is over. The developer behind the project, operating as Paralympics Productions, announced that it will shut down on October 3, following a cease-and-desist notice tied to rights holder Take-Two.

In a post on social media, the developer thanked supporters and apologized for failing to deliver the port. They also said they were "thankful for Take-Two's mercy," a remark that suggests things could have gone considerably worse. "This is the definitive end," they wrote. "Peace out, girl scouts."

The developer confirmed that the cease-and-desist was received and said they intend to comply, because "I'm not an idiot." No formal legal action has been taken so far, they added.

The timing is notable. Earlier this month Rockstar published a new set of Mod Guidelines asking players to "respect our games." Among other rules, the notice bars modifications that make Rockstar titles run on consoles or devices the company does not officially support. A Switch port of a game that never shipped on Switch falls squarely into that category.

Fans quickly asked the developer to release the source code so someone else could carry the work forward. The answer was a firm no. According to the developer, publishing the code would push the cease-and-desist toward a full lawsuit. They also conceded that fighting Take-Two in court would probably be a losing battle. "They have solid grounds and with me being cocky, it shows real intent for 'mayhem,'" they said, adding that they could not even plead ignorance to a jury.

The port had apparently been close to release. The developer said it was due "in the coming days," but that nothing new will be published. "I'm not releasing anything new and I'm not coming back. It's truly over. And no, no one will take over the project."

GTA 5 has never been released on Switch, and GTA 6 is not expected to launch on the Switch 2. It was previously reported, however, that Rockstar had looked into the possibility of bringing GTA 6 to Nintendo's newer hardware.