Following its December 2025 update that allowed players to make their own missions, Grand Theft Auto Online and Rockstar Games have cracked down on assassination missions themed around conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed in September 2025. GTA Online has since added Charlie Kirk's name to its list of censored terms, though some workarounds still linger.
On September 10, right-wing political activist and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated during a public appearance at Utah Valley University (UVU). Kirk, 31, was shot in the neck by a bullet fired from a bolt-action rifle. Authorities stated the lethal shot was fired from a nearby rooftop during Kirk's appearance at UVU. Kirk then succumbed to his wounds after being transported to Timpanagos Regional Hospital in Orem, Utah. The alleged gunman, Tyler Robinson, turned himself in after a day-long manhunt. Robinson is still awaiting trial. The aftermath of Kirk's assassination saw the CEOs of companies like Valve and Reddit summoned to a hearing on Capitol Hill at the request of the US House Oversight Committee in October 2025.
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GTA Online Has Banned Missions Inspired By Charlie Kirk's Death
Although Kirk's death resulted in different reactions from the gaming industry, Rockstar Games has started taking action to scrub any content related to his assassination from GTA Online's servers. As of this writing, a user-created mission called "We Are Charlie Kirk" has been removed from GTA Online and is no longer accessible. However, footage from the since-deleted Kirk mission was posted on Twitter by a user named GTASixInfo. The mission saw players assume the role of a sniper positioned on a rooftop, and their objective was to shoot an actor from their vantage point by using a sniper rifle. 15 Job Points were then awarded to the player after completing the Kirk mission. References to the Utah Valley University event were placed throughout the mission, including the tent that Kirk spoke from when he was assassinated.
The assassination mission came to light after GTA Online released its December 2025 update, titled A Safehouse in the Hills. Along with adding new mansions and missions for players to experience, one of GTA Online's newest additions is the Mission Creator. True to its name, the Mission Creator allows GTA Online players to craft and post various missions for others to undertake, with mechanics, actors, and other customizable parts. Ergo, players have used the Mission Creator to craft assassination missions, even ones based on real-world events.
Rockstar Games has since added Charlie Kirk's name to its "profanity filter" of censored terms, meaning that players can no longer create missions with his full name or search for missions containing it. However, GTA Online's mission search feature still allows "Charlie" and "Kirk" to be entered as separate, one-word entries. These entries still yield some results for various missions, such as team death matches.
Rockstar's Decision Is Not a New One
Rockstar Games is not the only game developer to have taken action against user-generated content following Kirk's assassination. In September 2025, Roblox started cracking down on content that referenced Charlie Kirk. Over 100 pieces of user-generated content were wiped from Roblox's servers following the crackdown. Roblox CEO David Baszucki stated on social media that the removed content violated Roblox's Community Standards that prohibit sensitive or violent real-world events from being reenacted or glorified within the game. Baszucki stated he was "saddened" by Kirk's death.
Although Rockstar Games remains focused on Grand Theft Auto 6's development, that has not stopped the gaming giant from enforcing and modifying its policies concerning user-generated content for GTA Online. Given GTA Onlin e has kept the brand alive in between the releases of GTA 5 and GTA 6, time will tell if Rockstar's online sensation will see any major changes once GTA 6 hits store shelves.
- Released
- October 1, 2013
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar North
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Engine
- Rockstar Advanced Game Engine
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience GTA Online, a dynamic and ever-evolving online universe for up to 30 players, including all existing gameplay upgrades and content released since launch ready to enjoy solo or with friends.
Career Progress
See all the challenges you've completed in your GTA Online Career. You can also discover new ones and earn valuable rewards as you rise through the criminal ranks.
Personalize Your Plates
Favorite ride missing something? Create your own personalized license plates and fit them at LS Customs.
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- n/a
- Cross Save
- n/a
- Franchise
- Grand Theft Auto
- Number of Players
- 1-8 (Online Co-Op); 1-30 (Multiplayer)
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- yes
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PS4, PS3, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC
- How Long To Beat
- 120+ Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 101 GB (July 2023)
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
