"GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition Released by Modders Amid Take-Two Takedown"

A Russian modding group, known as Revolution Team, has released its ambitious 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition' mod, despite facing YouTube takedowns by Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two Interactive. This mod ingeniously ports the entire world, cutscenes, and missions from the iconic 2002 game, Vice City, into the 2008 engine of GTA 4, offering fans a fresh take on a classic.

In a detailed statement, the modders expressed their frustration over Take-Two's actions, which led to the deletion of their YouTube channel without prior warning or communication. The channel, which was crucial for connecting with their international audience, had invested significant time and effort, including hundreds of hours of streams dedicated to the mod's development. The teaser trailer for the mod had quickly garnered over 100,000 views and 1,500 comments, showcasing the community's enthusiasm.

Despite the emotional toll and the disruption of their planned cozy stream launch, the Revolution Team remained focused on releasing the mod on the promised date. They acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding how long the mod would remain publicly available and refrained from encouraging reuploads, leaving it to the community's discretion.

Originally, the mod was intended to require a legitimate copy of GTA 4 as a gesture of respect to the publisher. However, due to the current uncertainties, the mod 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 further exemplifies this ongoing tension.

Interestingly, Take-Two has occasionally hired modders to work at Rockstar Games, and some mods, like the Vice City mod, have been taken down only for Rockstar to later announce remasters of those games. This dynamic has led to mixed feelings within the modding community.

Defending Take-Two's actions, former Rockstar Games technical director Obbe Vermeij emphasized that the company is protecting its business interests. He pointed out 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 modding community now watches closely to see if Take-Two will attempt to take down the 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition' mod itself, given its history of stringent actions against mods that it perceives as threats to its commercial interests.