While mods for the Grand Theft Auto series have been developed by hobbyists since the release of the first game, it wasn't until the release of the wildly successful Grand Theft Auto III on PC, in May 2002, that mods started to become both more accessible and more popular. BackgroundĪn example of an unusual, if not humorous, vehicle modification in GTA IV: a toy scooter replacing the "Faggio". Mods for Grand Theft Auto are generally developed for use on the PC versions of the games, since the platform does not prevent modifications to installed software however, similar content for console versions does exist to an extent. Third-party software has been indispensable for building Grand Theft Auto mods, due to the lack of official editing tools from the developer, Rockstar Games. Frequently created by anonymous ' modders', modifications are presented in the form of downloadable files or archives. These unofficial modifications are made by altering gameplay logic and asset files within a user's game installation, and can drastically change the gameplay experience: from replacing the player's character model with a fire breathing cat, to spawning zombies throughout the map.
User modification, or modding of games in the open-world sandbox Grand Theft Auto series is a popular trend in the PC gaming community.
The player's character is replaced with a pigeon model.
Pigeon stealing a car in a mod for GTA V.