Rockstar Games has taken decisive action to remove several user-generated missions from GTA Online that were themed around the real-world assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. The missions, created using the game's Rockstar Mission Creator tool, have been pulled from the platform, rendering them inaccessible to players.
Mission Content and Swift Removal
The controversial mission, titled 'We Are Charlie Kirk', came to public attention after footage was shared on social media platform X by the account GTA6 Info. The gameplay involved players picking up a sniper rifle on a rooftop and targeting a character in an area designed to resemble a college campus, directly mirroring the circumstances of Kirk's murder in September 2025.
According to reports from Kotaku, the mission and several others with similar themes can no longer be found when searching GTA Online's extensive list of custom jobs. It is believed Rockstar added 'Charlie Kirk' to the game's profanity filter to prevent the missions from being easily located or shared. The studio has not issued an official public statement regarding the specific takedowns.
Violation of Community Standards
The removal aligns with Rockstar's established community guidelines, which explicitly forbid content that involves the 'glorification or promotion of real-world terrorist, extremist, or criminal organisations and their ideologies.' Creating a mission based on a recent, high-profile murder is considered a clear breach of these rules.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenge for game developers in moderating player-created content within vast online ecosystems. While the GTA series was historically synonymous with controversy, its modern online component operates under stricter content governance to maintain a viable commercial service.
A Pattern of Content Moderation
This is not an isolated case of Rockstar enforcing its rules on user-generated content. The company has a history of removing fan projects that overstep its boundaries, including mods that recreate older GTA titles and even early attempts to reconstruct the anticipated map for GTA 6.
The action occurs against a backdrop of other controversies for Rockstar Games. In the past year, the company dismissed over 30 staff members, claiming they leaked sensitive information about the upcoming GTA 6. The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) contested this, alleging the firings were an act of union busting. A recent application by the IWGB for interim relief for the affected employees was rejected by the Glasgow Employment Tribunal.
A Rockstar spokesperson stated: 'The Glasgow Employment Tribunal has rejected the union’s application for interim relief. We welcome the decision, which is consistent with Rockstar’s position throughout. We regret that we were put in a position where dismissals were necessary, but we stand by our course of action as supported by the outcome of this hearing.'
