One GTA 5 RP provider has closed down its dedicated Arabian server after a player on Twitch was made to remove a rainbow-coloured in-game cosmetic, owing to its connections with the LGBTQI+ community. NoPixel, a GTA 5 server popular with streamers, has issued a statement explaining that its Arabian version will be closed immediately. The administrators of Arab NoPixel have also commented on the server’s discontinuation.
‘Dantexstar,’ a Twitch streamer based in Istanbul, broadcast themselves playing GTA 5 on the Arab NoPixel server using an in-game avatar with rainbow-coloured bangles on each wrist. During their stream, Dantexstar received a direct message from an administrator of Arab NoPixel, ‘Zeeedo,’ telling them to remove the clothing items as they were “strictly not allowed.”
In a message reportedly posted to the Arab NoPixel Discord, Zeeedo explains the server’s policies. “As you are all aware, most of the Arab countries [sic] are Muslims, so basically it is against our religious beliefs and culture to openly support the LGBTQ community,” the administrator says, in a message that has since been deleted, but was saved and posted to the Grand Theft Auto fan Reddit. “We cannot condone any LGBTQ actions in the RolePlay and outside the RolePlay related to Arab NoPixel.”
In response, a message has been posted in the central NoPixel Discord server, stating that Arab NoPixel has been permanently closed.
“After a thorough discussion internally between NoPixel management, we have decided to part ways and end any future partnership with NoPixel Arab,” an administrator for the NoPixel Discord, ‘Hon,’ writes. “While NoPixel Arab were willing to make commitments and concessions we personally feel that it is in the best interest of our community to end things completely.”
NoPixel says that it will issue refunds to any GTA 5 players who had spent money in the Arab NoPixel server. Arab NoPixel has since issued its own statement, responding to the server’s closure.
“Arab NoPixel has been officially closed from the main administration, due to not allowing gay freedom inside the server,” writes another of the server’s administrators. “I apologise for all my apologies to you [sic] my brothers. I was looking forward to a society that includes all Arab countries, to be the first Arab society that includes all Arabs from different countries.
“My apologies belong to every member of the community. We just wanted to entertain you and make you happy under one Arab community, creating an environment suitable for all.”
As a practising Muslim and a Grand Theft Auto player myself, it seems to this reporter hypocritical that the administration of Arab NoPixel would focus on the wearing of LGBTQI+ themed cosmetics as distinctly anti-Islamic, given that GTA allows for simulations of murder, drug-dealing, gambling, and myriad other activities that are both illegal and contrary to Islamic moral teachings.
As such, the response from Arab NoPixel seems driven not by an adherence to Islam, but an ulterior anti-LGBTQI+ prejudice. The UK and US-based charity Hidayah seeks to counter sexuality and identity-based discrimination within the Muslim community.
PCGamesN has contacted both Dantexstar and the NoPixel administrators for comment and will update this story with any further information.