The not too long ago launched PS5 and Xbox Sequence X/S variations of Grand Theft Auto V appear to be lacking some content material that was thought of by many to be transphobic. These parts had obtained criticism from some journalists and gamers, although Rockstar Video games has not commented publicly on what motivated the choice to make these adjustments.

The removing of this content material was first noticed by Reddit consumer JayProspero who seen a small change in one of many in-game workplaces. In older variations of the sport, a row of packaged motion figures on show included one which options “interchangeable genitalia,” is wearing pink with garish make-up, and has a big penis-like bulge. This motion determine, which might actually be interpreted as a nasty joke about trans ladies, is not current within the PS5 or Xbox Sequence X/S port.

Additionally faraway from the newest version of GTA V are NPCs that have been labeled as “drag queens” within the sport’s director mode and tagged as “transvestites” inside the sport’s recordsdata on PC. These characters additionally sported garish make-up, bulges, and may very well be heard generally telling the participant or different NPCs that they have been utilizing “hormones.” Once more, these characters have been clearly a joke on the expense of trans ladies.

Each the motion determine and the NPC “drag queens” at the moment are gone from the sport. The fashions for the NPCs do stay within the sport’s recordsdata, however not spawn and appear to have had their voice traces reduce, as documented by GTA modder and dataminer SpiderVice and GTA Forums admin Kirty Cloud. (SpiderVice has assisted Kotaku and myself prior to now prior to now with datamining verification and reduce content material tales.)

Final 12 months, Kotaku’s personal Carolyn Petit wrote a narrative about GTA V’s terrible depiction of trans ladies, citing the now-removed NPCs in addition to the abundance of transphobic adverts all through the sport’s world, which nonetheless exist within the sport as of 2022. This story was then instantly referenced by the LGBTQ+ gaming advocacy group Out Making Video games in an open letter to Rockstar. Within the letter, the group referred to as on the corporate to “take away transphobic parts from the sport,” stating that Rockstar had a possibility to “have a constructive impression on the brand new technology of gamers” coming to GTA V by way of these contemporary ports.

Right here’s what Petit needed to say in regards to the trans NPCs final 12 months:

Usually, folks reply to issues like this by declaring which you can goal and kill anybody in Grand Theft Auto V. The sport is “equal alternative” within the freedom it gives you to wreak havoc in Los Santos, they are saying. If you wish to, you possibly can goal white guys in cargo pants, or folks doing yoga.

However there’s nothing “equal alternative” in regards to the place trans folks maintain in society proper now. And in contrast to different random NPCs, the best way Rockstar designed GTAV’s trans folks actively performs into the hateful stereotypes harbored by many transphobic gamers. The trans intercourse employees you possibly can encounter, with their garish make-up and outstanding penis bulges, appear calculated to be ridiculous and repulsive to gamers who deliver their pre-existing transphobia to the sport with them. It’s as in the event that they’re designed particularly in order that some gamers might relish hurting and killing them as a result of they’re trans.

Rockstar has but to formally talk about its causes for eradicating the content material, or what different particulars, if any, might have been modified. Kotaku contacted Rockstar Video games in regards to the eliminated NPCs and motion determine however didn’t obtain a response in time for publication.

In a brief weblog posted yesterday, Out Making Video games responded to the invention of the eliminated NPCs and motion figures, saying that the group is “thrilled” by the changes.

“Grand Theft Auto V is a wildly common sport with hundreds of thousands of gamers worldwide,” wrote Out Making Video games. “This variation can have a big impact on the best way that these gamers see trans folks. Thanks to everybody at Rockstar who prioritized this subject – we ourselves are sport builders and perceive that even small adjustments like this take coordinated effort and time.”