GTA 5 publisher joins Roblox in suing PlayerAccounts marketplace for breaking TOS

PlayerAuctions operates in a gray area, selling accounts and items for popular games like GTA 5 and Roblox. As the marketplace's popularity has grown, major publishers and developers have noticed. After the Roblox Corporation took action a month ago, Take Two Interactive is the latest company to sue PlayerAuctions. While not illegal, Take Two claims the site is profiting from breaking Rockstar Games' terms of service.

Take Two accuses PlayerAuctions of giving players an unfair advantage by boosting accounts with GTA 5 mods. It's important to realize that PlayerAuctions doesn't create the accounts sold on the marketplace. Instead, customers buy accounts from sellers who often use GTA 5 cheats to level up and stockpile currency. However, PlayerAuctions takes in a percentage of each transaction.

According to Polygon, Take Two's lawsuit also involves PlayerAuctions using unauthorized media. When browsing listings, buyers may encounter copyrighted images and artwork used to promote sales. In some cases, sellers offer high-level GTA Online accounts for a thousand dollars or more.

As GTA 6 looms, Take Two has had a complicated relationship with modders creating content for GTA 5 and GTA Online. After quarrying with FiveM, Rockstar Games acquired the creator of custom multiplayer servers. While players utilize hacks within the guidelines of each server, they risk bans for using them in GTA Online.

With PlayerAuctions, gamers aren't downloading free vehicles or clothing to use in single-player GTA 5. With a simple transaction, buyers gain accounts with currency and items other players grind for months to acquire. Take Two argues that PlayerAuctions does not make it clear enough to customers that they are breaking the game's TOS.

Whether Roblox Corporation or Take Two will be successful in their legal pursuits is uncertain. PlayerAuctions originated in 1999 when it sold virtual currency for MMORPG games. The site has survived similar lawsuits but may need to change some of its practices going forward.