‘Grand Theft Auto’ blacklists ‘Charlie Kirk’ as players try to recreate his killing in the game

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‘Grand Theft Auto’ blacklists ‘Charlie Kirk’ as players try to recreate his killing in the game

Viral mission titled 'We are Charlie Kirk' recreated Utah Valley University shooting where conservative leader was killed

Kristine Parks Fox News

Published

January 13, 2026 7:00pm EST

Updated

January 13, 2026 5:00pm EST

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Rockstar Games, the company behind popular video game Grand Theft Auto, has reportedly added "Charlie Kirk" to a list of blocked terms for user-generated content in the online game after some players created missions recreating Kirk's assassination.

Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed while speaking at a campus event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.

In December, GTA Online rolled out a new Mission Creator tool allowing players to design and share their own missions for others to play.

Variety and gaming outlets reported Tuesday that some players used the feature to create assassination-style missions that appear to recreate Kirk’s murder.

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Charlie Kirk throws hats to the crowd after arriving at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025 in Orem, Utah. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)

A viral video cited by gaming outlet Kotaku shows one such mission, titled, "We are Charlie Kirk," which has since reportedly been taken down.

The mission puts a player with a sniper rifle on a rooftop overlooking a college campus setting, similar to that of the Utah Valley University setting where Kirk was shot.

The player's mission is to shoot a character named Charlie Kirk, who is standing under a tent in front of a crowd of people.

Rockstar Games has reportedly responded by adding "Charlie Kirk" to its "profanity filter" in the game's code.

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Charlie Kirk speaks to the audience just before he was shot

Charlie Kirk speaks before he is assassinated during Turning Point's visit to Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah on Sept. 10, 2025. (Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP)

According to Variety, the gaming company plans to change the filter's name to more appropriately describe content it does not want users to bring into the game, such as real-life events like Kirk's assassination.

Kotaku reported that some players have tried to get around this filter by using the name "Charlie Pink" or other variations of his name to continue making these missions referring to his killing.

Rockstar Games did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

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A window display advertises Grand Theft Auto IV on April 28, 2008, in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

After Kirk was killed, some figures on the left took to social media to mock or celebrate his murder, resulting in discipline or terminations in some cases.

Last week, a Clemson University professor who was fired over a social media post calling Kirk's murder "karma" reached a settlement with the university.

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Austin Peay State University also reportedly agreed to pay $500,000 to settle a dispute with a professor fired after sharing a headline about Kirk's views on guns in the wake of his death.

Kristine Parks is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Read more.

‘Grand Theft Auto’ blacklists ‘Charlie Kirk’ as players try to recreate his killing in the game