The creators of the controversial Grand Theft Auto 6 parody, "Grand Taking Ages," have successfully launched it on Steam after Sony removed it from the PlayStation Store. This management simulator, where players run a game development studio, initially raised eyebrows due to its AI-generated art and satirical approach to Rockstar's delayed GTA 6.
Following Sony's removal, the developers, Violarte, made significant changes to secure Steam approval. These included removing the "VI" from the title, updating the logo, descriptions, and visuals to better distinguish it from GTA 6. While the game still utilizes AI-generated assets, including voiceovers (as disclosed per Steam's AI guidelines), the overall presentation now emphasizes its parody nature.
The Steam page features a new trailer and updated screenshots, reflecting these adjustments. The game's description now reads: "Coming Soon Since Forever! Start your game dev journey in mom's garage! Battle angry fans, dodge ruthless journalists, and perfect the art of 'creative' deadlines. Survive on pizza and energy drinks while building your dream studio into... a slightly better garage!"
Violarte adopted a proactive strategy with Valve, engaging them about the game's concept before submission, ensuring alignment with their guidelines. They cite similar parody projects, such as "Grand Theft Hamlet," as precedent for protecting such works. Violarte has now requested reinstatement on the PlayStation Store, confident that the modifications will satisfy Sony's review process.
The contrasting approaches of Sony and Valve highlight differences in their content curation policies. While Steam's more open platform embraces a wider range of games, including those utilizing AI, Sony's stricter approach raised questions about its review process following the initial removal of "Grand Taking Ages." Rockstar's GTA 6, meanwhile, remains slated for a fall 2025 release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
