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 publicly stated that Take-Two abruptly deleted their YouTube channel, resulting in the loss of a substantial audience and hundreds of hours of streamed development footage. While initially intending to require a legitimate GTA 4 copy to play, respecting the publisher, they now offer it as a standalone installation to ensure wider accessibility given the circumstances.

Revolution Team maintains the mod is entirely non-commercial, created by fans for fans, expressing gratitude to the original game's developers, not the publisher. They express regret that Take-Two actively suppresses modding initiatives that could sustain interest in their classic titles, suggesting their project might set a precedent for the modding community.

Take-Two's history of aggressive takedowns of Rockstar-related mods is well-documented, straining its relationship with the modding community. Examples include takedowns of an AI-powered GTA 5 story mode mod, a VR mod for Red Dead Redemption 2, and the Liberty City Preservation Project. Ironically, Take-Two has sometimes hired modders for Rockstar Games, and some removed mods have later been followed by official remasters.

A former Rockstar Games technical director, Obbe Vermeij, defended Take-Two's actions, emphasizing their role as a commercial entity protecting its business interests. He argued that the "Vice City Nextgen Edition" directly competes with the "Definitive Edition," and projects like the Liberty City Preservation Project could undermine potential GTA 4 remasters. He suggested that the best hope for the modding community is for Take-Two to tolerate mods that don't pose a direct business threat.

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.