A Russian modding group, Revolution Team, has released its "GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition" mod despite facing YouTube takedowns by Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar's parent company. 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. While acknowledging the setback, the team pressed forward with the mod's release, prioritizing the promised launch date over a planned celebratory stream. They initially intended to require a legitimate GTA 4 copy for gameplay, but released it as a standalone package due to the uncertainty surrounding the takedowns.
Revolution Team maintains the mod is entirely free and non-commercial, created by fans for fans. They expressed gratitude to the original game's developers, criticizing Take-Two's actions as hindering fan initiatives that foster interest in classic titles. They hope their project will serve as a precedent for the modding community.
Take-Two's history of aggressive takedowns of Rockstar-related mods is well-documented, including instances involving AI-powered GTA 5 mods, 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 mods have been taken down only to be followed by official remasters.
A former Rockstar Games technical director, Obbe Vermeij, defended Take-Two's actions, stating that the company is protecting its business interests. He suggested the "Vice City Nextgen Edition" directly competes with the "Definitive Edition," and projects like the Liberty City Preservation Project could interfere with a potential GTA 4 remaster. He argued that while frustrating, this is standard corporate practice, and the modding community should focus on creating mods that don't directly conflict with Take-Two's commercial interests.
The future of the "GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition" mod remains uncertain, with the question of whether Take-Two will pursue its removal still unanswered.
