A Russian modding group, known as Revolution Team, has released its 'GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition' mod despite facing YouTube takedowns from Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar Games. This ambitious mod ports the entire world, cutscenes, and missions from the 2002 classic, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, into the 2008 game, Grand Theft Auto IV.

In a statement, the modders expressed their frustration over the deletion of their YouTube channel by Take-Two without any prior warning or attempt at communication. They highlighted the significant effort and time invested in the channel, which included numerous streams dedicated to the mod's development. The removal of the channel severed their connection with an international audience, with their teaser trailer for the mod gaining over 100,000 views and 1,500 comments in less than a day.

The team acknowledged the emotional toll of the situation, as they had envisioned a different, more celebratory release with a cozy stream. However, they emphasized that the most critical aspect was meeting their promised release date. They noted uncertainty about how long the mod would remain publicly available and mentioned they were not opposed to reuploads but could not encourage them explicitly.

Originally, the mod was intended to require a legitimate copy of GTA IV as a gesture of respect to the publisher. However, due to recent uncertainties, it was released as a standalone, installation-ready package to ensure stable performance for a broader audience.

Take-Two's response to the mod has been predictably negative, as the company has a history of issuing takedowns for mods related to Rockstar Games titles. Despite this, Revolution Team remains defiant, stating that their mod is a non-commercial project created by fans for fans. They expressed regret over Take-Two's actions against modding initiatives and hoped their project might set a precedent for the modding community.

Take-Two has previously hired modders it had targeted with takedowns, and some mods have been taken down only for Rockstar to announce remasters of the same games later. A former Rockstar developer, Obbe Vermeij, defended Take-Two's actions, stating that the company is protecting its business interests. He pointed out that the GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition mod competes with the Definitive Edition, and other mods could interfere with potential remasters.

The current question is whether Take-Two will attempt to take down the mod itself, given its stance on mods that could impact its business interests.