A Russian modding group, known as the Revolution Team, has launched its ambitious 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition' despite facing YouTube takedowns from Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar Games. This mod impressively ports the world, cutscenes, and missions from the 2002 classic, Vice City, into the engine of 2008's GTA 4.
The modders expressed frustration over Take-Two's actions, stating that their YouTube channel was "deleted" without any prior warning or attempt to reach out. They highlighted the significant effort invested in the channel, including hundreds of hours of streams dedicated to the mod's development. The loss of their channel meant losing touch with their international audience, especially after a teaser trailer for the mod garnered over 100,000 views and 1,500 comments in less than a day.
Despite the emotional toll and the envisioned launch not going as planned, the Revolution Team emphasized that releasing the project on the promised date was paramount. They noted uncertainty about how long the mod would remain publicly available and expressed a neutral stance on reuploads, leaving it to the community's discretion.
Initially, the mod was set to require a legitimate copy of GTA 4 out of respect for the publisher. However, due to current uncertainties, they released it as a standalone, installation-ready package to ensure stable performance for a broader audience.
Take-Two's history of aggressive takedowns against mods related to Rockstar games is well-documented, straining their relationship with the modding community. Examples include takedowns of an AI-powered GTA 5 story mode mod, a VR mod for Red Dead Redemption 2, and the Liberty City Preservation Project. Interestingly, Take-Two has occasionally hired modders they've targeted, and some mods taken down have preceded official remasters announced by Rockstar.
Defending Take-Two and Rockstar's actions, former Rockstar Games technical director Obbe Vermeij stated that the companies were protecting their business interests. He noted that the VC NextGen Edition mod could compete with the Definitive Edition, and the Liberty City preservation project might interfere with a potential GTA 4 remaster.
The big question now is whether Take-Two will move to take down the 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition' mod itself.
