A former Rockstar Games developer has spoken out about Take-Two’s decision to take down a popular GTA 4 mod that ports GTA: Vice City into the newer engine.
The mod, called Vice City: Nextgen Edition, aims to bring the classic game into the GTA 4 engine, but its YouTube channel was recently removed by Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar Games.
Why the Mod Was Targeted
Obbe Vermeij, a former Rockstar developer, explained that Take-Two and Rockstar are protecting their business interests. He stated, “The Vice City: Nextgen Edition mod directly competes with the Definitive Edition,” referring to Rockstar’s official remaster of the classic GTA games. Vermeij added that companies like Take-Two are expected to take action against mods that could hurt their sales.
The Definitive Edition remaster, which included Vice City, GTA 3, and San Andreas, was heavily criticized for its bugs and poor quality at launch. Vermeij acknowledged this, tweeting that takedowns like this “would be easier to swallow if they produced competent re-masters.”
Modders Fight Back
Despite the YouTube channel being taken down, the mod itself is still available. The modders, based in Russia, have made the project fully standalone, meaning players no longer need the original game to use it. In a statement, the modders said, “We had to make this change to ensure the mod’s stable performance for the widest possible audience.”
Fan Reactions
Fans of the mod have praised its quality, with many calling it “what the Definitive Edition should have been.” One Twitter user wrote, “It’s an incredible fan project that carries Vice City over into the RAGE engine,” while another said, “Modders truly are incredible.”
Different Approaches to Mods
While Take-Two is known for being strict with mods, other companies like Bethesda allow fan projects to thrive. For example, Bethesda hasn’t stopped modders from recreating the entire world of Tamriel in the Morrowind engine. Vermeij hopes Rockstar will allow mods that don’t interfere with their business, like the DCA3 (GTA 3 for Dreamcast) project.
For now, the Vice City: Nextgen Edition mod remains a testament to the passion of the GTA fan community, even as Rockstar and Take-Two continue to protect their intellectual property.
