A Netflix show that hit the streaming service over the summer appears to use artwork that is very reminiscent of the loading screens from GTA 5.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, or so they say. However, there's a line between imitation and paying homage to a project, and downright copying it and claiming the work as your own. A Netflix series called The Snitch Cartel: Origins, which hit the streaming service over the summer, has been accused of treading that fine line and perhaps taking a step or two past it.
Even though The Snitch Cartel was released more than a month ago, some of those who have watched it have started to notice some similarities in the artwork used for its opening credits. As highlighted in the Reddit post below, the images are incredibly similar to some of the ones used as loading screens in GTA 5.
When looking at the allegedly borrowed from images side by side, the similarities are incredibly plain to see. In the very first image, the designer even appears to have left the duffle bag strap used in the image for the Netflix show, but removed the actual duffle bag. A graphic designer who replied to the post also highlights the third image, pointing to the almost identical folds in the clothing.
Some GTA fans are calling for Rockstar and its parent company to take legal action against Netflix and the creators of the show. That doesn't appear to have happened yet, but taking legal action against someone using elements of GTA for its own gain isn't something Take-Two usually needs to be coaxed into doing.
Take-Two has been taking down fan-made projects throughout 2021, maybe as it gears towards the possible release of remastered versions of older GTA titles. It even turned up the heat last week, revealing that it will actually be suing a group that reverse-engineered GTA 3 and Vice City. If the team behind the imagery used in The Snitch Cartel has indeed used GTA artwork without permission, now might be a good time to start thinking of excuses or apologizing profusely.