By Michaela Gordoni
When Grand Theft Auto Online creators found out players were mimicking Charlie Kirk’s shooting, they created a plan to stop it.
The company behind the game, Rockstar Games, added Kirk’s name to its blacklist, The Christian Post reported Jan. 16. It will also change its “profanity filter” to a different tool that will be “used to flag various content — not just profanity — that Rockstar does not want its players to be able to bring into the game, including real-world events like the Kirk assassination.”
After a feature launched in December that allows users to make missions that can be played by everyone, creators found one called “We Are Charlie Kirk” and quickly shut down the mission.
Footage shows a user’s character atop a university building looking down on a public gathering, similar to the scene at Utah Valley University, where Kirk was shot in September. More footage shows a gunman fatally shooting a man speaking to students under a white tent, like Kirk was.
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The content was made within a day or two of the new feature’s launch, IGN reported.
Shockingly, gamers are making light of Rockstar’s move. A comment from one user on Instagram wrote, “Best mission in the game right now,” which got over 4,500 likes.
Another comment with thousands of likes reads, “L take from rockstar.”
This shows massive insensitivity from the violent gaming community.
Some users have tried to get around the filter by slightly misspelling Kirk’s name or using other languages, AFK Gaming global reported. On Jan. 14, IGN found a copy of the mission in Korean called “Kill Charlie Kirk to gain money and fame.”
Rockstar continues to monitor and delete inappropriate missions, including one called “Diddy Mission Raid,” that staged a standoff at a luxury mansion, pitting players against SWAT teams. But with thousands of players, it’s not easy to stay on top of.
“Rockstar is obviously taking steps to try and suppress such missions, though its success thus far seems questionable. Two things are clear: It doesn’t want this kind of thing in GTA Online. And it may well have a fight on its hands to stop it,” gaming journalist Rich Stanton said.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to come out on Nov. 19, 2026. It’s great that Rockstar is taking this active step to make its online game more appropriate. Now if only it would get rid of the hypersexualized and prostitute NPCs in its regular games.
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