Thousands of Grand Theft Auto Online players who spend their evenings role-playing as cops, criminals, and everyday citizens in virtual Los Angeles may soon find their digital worlds vanishing overnight.

According to data unearthed by dataminers, Rockstar Games is close to launching a replacement for FiveM, a free if controversial tool that, for years, has allowed regular players to transform the standard Grand Theft Auto Online experience into a playground where they could act out elaborate storylines, build businesses, and form tight-knit communities that often span years.

API endpoints discovered and revealed by Gogsi123 and Tez, which apparently went live as early as March 2025, are believed to be part of NoPixel V.

This new collaboration with Rockstar won't use FiveM at all. It will run on an entirely new system that players will need to download separately. Thus, it's telling that this revelation comes just as Rockstar and NoPixel announced their partnership.

For the average player, this might sound like technical details that don't matter. But for the thousands of smaller role-playing communities, it could mean the end of everything they've built.

If Rockstar forces everyone to switch to their new ROME platform, all of that work could be lost. Servers might need to start from scratch, assuming they're even allowed to exist on the new platform at all.

There's also the question of control. FiveM allowed server owners complete freedom to create whatever experience they wanted. But with Rockstar directly controlling the new platform, that freedom could disappear. The company might impose strict rules about what kind of content is allowed, how servers can monetize to cover costs, or even who gets permission to run a server in the first place.

And while it's great that Rockstar wants to continue what it started with Grand Theft Auto V by turning Grand Theft Auto into a creator-friendly live-service platform, it's heartbreaking to know that replacing FiveM means doing away with the communities that have formed over the years. Players log in to catch up with friends, participate in ongoing storylines that have developed over months or years, and be part of something bigger than themselves. Not to mention, some servers cater to specific groups.

If Rockstar's new system doesn't allow for this diversity, countless players could find themselves without a home, which is ironic. These communities have essentially provided free marketing and content that has helped sell millions of copies of GTA V.

With that said, it might be a while before Rockstar makes this official. Fingers crossed, they're thinking of ways to mitigate if not avoid the potential backlash, especially with Grand Theft Auto 6 in the wings.

Rockstar is currently working on GTA 6 ahead of its expected release date on May 2026. A delay isn't on the table and Take-Two Interactive confirmed that more news is coming soon.