GTA 5 PS5 and Xbox Series X versions have apparently removed transphobic content

GTA5 appears to have removed transphobic content from the PS5 and Xbox Series X re-release of the 2013 game.

As first noticed by GTA Net admin Kirsty Cloud, the new-gen versions of GTA 5 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S have removed transphobic content from the single-player game and its online counterpart. This is apparently following a plea from LGBTQ+ worker organization OutMakingGames to removed said content last year.

In new-gen GTAV/GTAO, Rockstar appear to have disabled the trans caricatures or “drag queens” from spawning outside Cockatoos. This could be following a plea from OutMakingGames last year. I hope this provides comfort to anyone who felt these NPCs depicted harmful stereotypes April 8, 2022

As for the content itself, it seems the new-gen versions of GTA 5 no longer have trans sex workers and drag queens within the game. While Cloud notes that you can still view the character models in the game’s Director Mode, they’re no longer present in the base game of GTA 5 itself, and this alludes to transphobic voice lines from GTA 5’s protagonists towards them also quietly exiting the game.

Last year we wrote an open letter to @Rockstar, calling on them to remove transphobic content from GTA 5’s next gen release. We’re thrilled to say that they have. Thank you to everyone at Rockstar who prioritized this issue. https://t.co/JnPtufcBZqApril 18, 2022

This has gone down well with OutMakingGames, at least. As you can see above, the organization has thanked developer Rockstar for removing the characters models from the new-gen re-release of GTA 5. It turns out the original plea from OutMakingGames came after a Kotaku article criticizing the feature, positing that the character models and voice lines could very easily be removed from the “Enhanced and Expanded” version of GTA 5.