Defiant Modders Release 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition' Despite Take-Two Takedown

A Russian modding team, Revolution Team, has released its "GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition" mod despite Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar's parent company, issuing YouTube takedowns. This ambitious project transplants Vice City's world, cutscenes, and missions from 2002 into GTA 4's 2008 engine.

The modders' YouTube channel was unexpectedly deleted by Take-Two, resulting in the loss of substantial content, including hundreds of hours of development streams and a teaser trailer that garnered over 100,000 views in under 24 hours. Despite this setback, the team pressed forward with the mod's release, prioritizing the promised launch date over a planned celebratory stream. They acknowledge the uncertainty surrounding the mod's long-term availability but remain noncommittal about encouraging reuploads.

Initially, the mod required a legitimate copy of GTA 4, a gesture of respect for the publisher. However, due to the YouTube takedown, it's now released as a standalone installer to ensure wider accessibility.

Revolution Team insists the mod is entirely non-commercial, created by fans for fans, and expresses gratitude to the original game's developers (not the publisher). They hope their project will spur discussion within the modding community about Take-Two's aggressive takedown policies.

Take-Two's history of removing mods is well-documented, creating tension with the modding community. Past examples include takedowns of an AI-powered GTA 5 story mode mod, a Red Dead Redemption 2 VR mod, and the Liberty City Preservation Project. Interestingly, Take-Two has sometimes hired modders for Rockstar Games, and some removed mods have later been incorporated into official remasters.

Former Rockstar technical director Obbe Vermeij offered a corporate perspective, stating that Take-Two's actions are driven by protecting its business interests. He cites the "GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition" mod as potentially competing with the "Definitive Edition," and the Liberty City Preservation Project as possibly interfering with a potential GTA 4 remaster. He suggests that the best outcome for the modding community is the allowance of mods that don't directly impact Take-Two's commercial endeavors.

The question remains: will Take-Two pursue legal action to remove the "GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition" mod itself?