A Russian modding group, known as Revolution Team, has released 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 entire world, cutscenes, and missions of the 2002 classic, Vice City, into the 2008 game, GTA 4.
In their video description, the modders expressed frustration over Take-Two's actions, stating that their YouTube channel was "deleted" without any prior warning or attempt at communication. They highlighted the significant effort and time invested in the channel, including hundreds of hours of streams dedicated to the mod's development. The loss of their channel also severed their connection with an international audience, with the teaser trailer for the mod garnering over 100,000 views and 1,500 comments in less than a day before the channel was removed irreversibly.
The modders described Take-Two's move as "cruel" but acknowledged their inability to change the situation. They refrained from further commentary to avoid potential risks that could disrupt the mod's release. The past two days were emotionally challenging for the team, as they had envisioned a different, more celebratory launch. However, they emphasized that the most crucial aspect was meeting their release deadline, despite uncertainties about how long the mod would remain publicly available.
Originally, the mod was intended to require a legitimate copy of GTA 4 as a sign of respect to the publisher. However, due to current uncertainties, it was released as a standalone, installation-ready package to ensure stable performance for a broader audience.
Take-Two's history of takedowns related to Rockstar games has strained its relationship with the modding community. The company has previously targeted various mods, including an AI-powered GTA 5 story mode mod and a VR mod for Red Dead Redemption 2. The recent takedown of the Liberty City Preservation Project, which aimed to recreate Vice City within GTA 5, is another example.
Interestingly, Take-Two has occasionally hired modders it has targeted, and some mods, like the Vice City mod, were taken down only for Rockstar to later announce remasters of those games. A former Rockstar developer, Obbe Vermeij, defended the company's actions, stating that Take-Two and Rockstar are protecting their business interests. He noted that the VC NextGen Edition mod competes directly with the Definitive Edition, and the Liberty City preservation project could interfere with a potential GTA 4 remaster.
The key question now is whether Take-Two will attempt to take down the mod itself.
