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This page documents the Official Policy of the GTA Wiki.
It concerns standards that all users should follow.

This page details GTA Wiki's official policy on all things related to images, audio and videos. If you need further help with the media policy, see the How To article.

Before uploading

Please review the Wikipedia Non-free content policy. While GTA Wiki does not enforce it as strictly as Wikipedia does, we do fully acknowledge that the Grand Theft Auto series and everything associated with it are copyright to Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive.

Tools

Please use Special:Upload which also allows multiple files that use the same license to be uploaded and licensed simultaneously.

We do not recommend uploading files using msUpload in the source page editor, as it does not provide the option to rename or license files before they are uploaded nor do we recommend using the Media Upload tool in the Visual Editor as it again does not provide the easiest way to license the file. Please see the How To guide to correct files uploaded using these upload methods.

Legal

Unless otherwise specified, all rights to all images reside with Rockstar Games and Take Two Interactive.

Media that is not copyrighted to Rockstar

Images such as fan artwork posted to DeviantArt may only be uploaded to GTA Wiki by the original artist and should not be included in article space.

Media licensing

Licensing drop down menu

The licensing drop down menu

The upload page has a drop down menu containing all the necessary licenses. Selecting an option automatically adds a licensing template to an uploaded image.

File names

Files should have sections separated with hyphens (-), and individual sections must be written without any spaces or underscores (_). Files that are uploaded with meaningless names or overly broad names, such as File:Gallery345.jpg or File:Tommy.png, should be renamed immediately.

Files should be named in the following manner:

  • Artwork: Artwork-CharacterName-GameAbbreviation
  • Characters: CharacterName-GameAbbreviation-ShortDescriptionIfNecessary
  • Locations: LocationName-GameAbbreviation-ShortDescriptionIfNecessary
  • Missions: MissionName-GameAbbreviation-ShortDesciptionIfNecessary
  • Products/Brands: BrandName-ShortDescriptionIfNecessary-GameAbbreviation
  • Vehicles: VehicleName-GameAbbreviation-AngleOfView-ShortDescriptionIfNecessary
  • Real People: FirstnameLastname-Profession
  • Weapons: WeaponName-GameAbbreviation-ShortDescriptionIfNecessary
Right Wrong
File:CarlJohnson-GTASA.jpg File:Carl-Johnson-San-Andreas.jpg
File:Viceport-GTAVC-Northeastwards.jpg File:Northeast view of Viceport in GTAVC.jpg
File:Rhino-GTACW.jpg FIle:Rhino in Chinatown Wars.jpg
File:Hunter-GTAVC-Front.jpg File:HUNTERGTAVCFRONT.JPG
File:DesertEagle-GTASA-icon.png File:DesertEagle GTASA icon.png
File:Artwork-MariaLatore-GTALCS.jpg File:MariaLatore-Artwork-GTALCS.jpg
File:Sprunk-VendingMachine-GTAV.jpg File:Sprunk-vending-machine-in-GTAV.jpg
File:RayLiotta-VoiceActor.jpg File:LIOTTA, RAY.jpg

Game Abbreviations

With few exceptions, all screenshot file names should contain a non-ambiguous GTAXXXX abbreviation of the title of the game it was from.

Not all version of a game title will have the same content. Disputes over the validity of the content which may not be visible to players on other versions can arise with accusations of Modifications being used. To avoid this, we can qualify the Game Abbreviation section of a file name as follows:

Game Abbreviations for different game versions

In addition to the all caps game abbreviation, a lowercase qualifier should be added to specify/identify the version of the game the screenshot was obtained from.

  • No qualifier required for the original release version of any game.
  • e for the Enhanced Version of GTAV/GTAO (PS4, Xbox One, PC). e.g. -GTAVe-
  • ee for the "Expanded and Enhanced Version" of GTAV/GTAO (PS5 or Xbox Series X/S). e.g. -GTAOee-
  • de for the Definitive Edition remake of the Trilogy: GTAIII, GTAVC and GTASA. e.g. -GTAVCde-
  • m for mobile ports. e.g. -GTAIIIm-
  • a for anniversary editions. e.g. -GTAIIIa-

Game Abbreviations for different gaming platforms

When the media illustrates something that is specifically different in a game between platforms (e.g. console vs PC), the platform abbreviation can optionally be added. e.g. -GTAVeXB1- -GTAOeePS5- -GTASAdePC-

Images

Image formats

While Fandom and MediaWiki software supports multiple web image file formats, it is the preference of GTA Wiki for image files to be in PNG (i.e. lossless) format with JPEG (i.e. lossy) as an accepted alternative. Animations can either be GIF or MP4.

Image size

Generally, screenshots should be neither too small nor too big. Images that are too small fail to properly illustrate what they show. Large, high quality images are a stretch on fair use. While there is a 10MB limit available per file, care should be taken to ensure file sizes are not too big, since the majority of our audience are browsing the wiki on a mobile device and restrictive data charges/limits still apply in many countries.

Images should be no smaller than 400x400. There is no point in uploading thumbnail images to the wiki. Overly large or overly small images should be deleted. What constitutes "too large" is somewhat subjective and changes over time as display technology improves, so dictating a specific dimension is not appropriate. In 2010, a 1920x1080 screen was at the top end of the scale. By 2020, they were considered the standard size and a 3840x2160 screen was at the top end and ultra-wide screens were also becoming common.

  • Game texture files should never be upscaled though. i.e. If a texture file that is used by the game is 64x64, it is exempt from the recommended minimum of 400x400.

Image shape

Images should be of a "standard aspect ratio" with the preference for images to be at 16:9 except character images intended for infoboxes which should be 1:1. This ensures uniformity of display on desktop and mobile platforms and allows editors to lay out galleries in set patterns where appropriate.

Image usage

Please pay attention to the GTA Wiki:Manual of Style for the page type to determine how images should be used on any page. In general, with very few exceptions, images should only be contained in infoboxes, galleries and tables, and should not be floated in-line with text.

Image content

Explicit Content

Site-logo
This section features content that may be contrary to Fandom standards.
Please take care to ensure any media added is fully compliant with the Fandom Terms of Use and Fandom Community Guidelines.
ESRB E

The Grand Theft Auto series of games contains mature-rated content that may be considered explicit. Screenshots can be censored if required.

Customized Vehicles

As prescribed in the Manual of Style, if the vehicle is modified by the player, it CANNOT be featured on a vehicle page, however, if the vehicle is found "pre-modified" in the game, (i.e. in the enhanced version of GTA V), it can be included in the gallery. Incidental inclusion of user-customized vehicles in screenshots of other content (i.e. in a mission where it can be seen in the shot but is not the subject of the shot) are permissible.

Modifying images

In general, an image should be posted as-is without modification, however there are exceptions:

  • Censorship of explicit content as described above.
  • Removal or obscuring of user account detail (e.g. HUD data).
  • Notations for illustrative purposes (e.g. map highlighting).
  • If it is necessary to resize or crop an image, the result should comply with the Image shape notes above.
  • Some game texture files are not in the aspect ratio that they are rendered in-game and can therefore be stretched or squeezed to the "correct" rendered ratio.

Videos

The standard MediaWiki EmbedVideo extension is enabled on all Fandom Wikis. Video from supported sources is no longer required to be uploaded and maintained as a file page on the wiki and can simply be embedded into articles. Please do not upload videos after September 2021.

Full information on the supported use is visible on the MediaWiki page

Basic Syntax

{{#ev:service|id|dimensions|alignment|description|container|urlargs|autoresize}}

As a visual example, {{#ev:youtube|dCL4KL7IS7I|275px|center|GTA Series Videos - GTA Online - The Union Depository Contract -Solo-}} produces:

GTA Series Videos - GTA Online - The Union Depository Contract -Solo-

The extension supports start and end times under "urlargs" (the fifth parameter after the video ID). To obtain a specific start and end times for this parameter from YouTube videos, press the Share button under the video and check "Start at TIME". Use the number at the end of the given URL in the "urlargs" parameter, formatted as [start=TIME&end=TIME].

As a visual example, {{#ev:youtube|dCL4KL7IS7I|275px|center|GTA Series Videos - GTA Online - The Union Depository Contract -Solo-||start=335&end=767}} produces:

GTA Series Videos - GTA Online - The Union Depository Contract -Solo-

Note that in the above example, the "container" parameter must also be added as a blank parameter in order for the "urlargs" parameter to function.

GTA Wiki's preferred video partner for in-game content is GTA Series Videos on YouTube.

  • ALL videos must have a clear picture and audio.
  • All videos must be copyrighted to show who the video belongs to, the video's site and Rockstar Games.
  • All videos must be GTA related (some exceptions may be allowed as long as an administrator is aware and agrees).
  • Videos MUST NOT violate other policies such as leaked information or modifications.
  • Videos must have an extra copyright if it features music.
  • Videos, like images, must not have a watermark.

Video Galleries

Embedded video is not supported in a <gallery></gallery>.
Use the {{Videogallery}} template when adding two or more videos.
{{Videogallery}} supports a mixture of embedded video and pre-2021 file videos when added using thumbnails as described in the template.

Audio

Audio should be uploaded as open-source Ogg Vorbis *.ogg files.

It is noted and accepted that this may cause some unavoidable issues on some iOS devices.

Quotes and game files

Quotes and dialog audio clips should be less than 20 seconds long if possible.

Music files

Avoid using copyrighted songs on .ogg audio files (unless it is a song made for the game e.g. Grand Theft Auto, Grand Theft Auto 2 and Grand Theft Auto Advance soundtrack).

If necessary, upload an .ogg audio file of a recognizable part of the music that is less than 20 seconds long, using the Fair Use license. See GTA Wiki:Copyright for more detail on the copyright policy.

Staff Legacy and Notes

All Staff members of the GTA Wiki are expected to enforce the Media Policy, by regularly maintaining the Recent Files list and ensuring images meet said policy. It is also important these images meet any additional Manual of Style that may apply.

Staff are able (and expected) to:

  • Rename files in accordance with Name rules above.
  • Add, remove or replace licenses in accordance with Licensing rules above.
  • Consider deletion of the file with valid reasoning.
  • Ensure previous versions of files are not overwritten by the wrong image.
  • Update redirects of files if necessary.
  • Ensure files are not duplicated.
  • Alert users and uploaders if they are not meeting the standards of the Media Policy.
  • Alert users if/why their files have been deleted if necessary.
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