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A Russian modding group, Revolution Team, has released its ambitious "GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition" mod, defying takedown notices from Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar Games' parent company. This impressive mod transplants the world, cutscenes, and missions of 2002's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City into the 2008 Grand Theft Auto IV engine.
The modders revealed that Take-Two deleted their YouTube channel without warning, resulting in the loss of hundreds of hours of streamed development footage and a significant portion of their international audience. Despite this setback, and the emotional toll it took on the team, they released the mod as promised. They acknowledge the uncertainty surrounding its long-term availability but remain unopposed to reuploads, though they won't actively encourage them.
Initially, the mod was designed to require a legitimate copy of GTA IV, a gesture of respect for the publisher. However, due to the channel takedown, it's now released as a standalone installer to ensure wider accessibility.
Revolution Team emphasizes the mod's non-commercial nature, stating it was created by fans for fans, expressing gratitude to the original game's developers (but not the publisher). They suggest their project might serve as a precedent for the modding community, highlighting Take-Two's tendency to stifle modding initiatives that could maintain interest in their classic titles.
Take-Two's history of aggressive takedowns of Rockstar related mods is well-documented. Previous examples include actions against an AI-powered GTA 5 story mode mod, a Red Dead Redemption 2 VR mod, and the Liberty City Preservation Project. Ironically, Take-Two has sometimes hired modders previously targeted for takedowns, and some projects, like this Vice City mod, have been removed only to be followed by official remasters.
Former Rockstar Games technical director Obbe Vermeij offered a corporate perspective, defending Take-Two's actions as a protection of business interests. He cited the "GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition" mod as directly competing with the GTA: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition, and the Liberty City Preservation Project as potentially interfering with a possible GTA IV remaster. Vermeij suggests that the best-case scenario is that Take-Two allows mods that don't directly impact their sales, such as the Grand Theft Auto III Dreamcast port.
The question remains: will Take-Two pursue further action to remove the "GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition" mod itself?
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