Rockstar Prevents Release of Reverse-Engineered Version of Vice City

The popular game “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City” has been a fan favorite for years, with players eagerly waiting for an updated version for current generation hardware. The reverse-engineered “reVC” project, led by fan aap, aimed to make this dream a reality by remaking the game using assets from the original code. However, Rockstar Games, the publisher of the “GTA” series, was not on board with this project and shut it down with a takedown notice.

Take-Two Sues the Modders:

The publisher, Take-Two Interactive, and the modders eventually ended up in court over copyright infringement. Despite the modders’ efforts to re-upload the game, Take-Two continued to issue DMCA strikes. The publisher’s official complaint took issue with the repeated distribution of the game, despite multiple warnings.

The Settlement:

Rockstar and the modders are now in the process of settling the case, though details of the settlement remain unknown. It’s possible that the modders may have had to promise not to distribute the game again as part of the settlement. The game has not been re-uploaded to GitHub, suggesting that it may never reappear.

Why Rockstar Continues to Protect its IP:

Rockstar’s protection of its intellectual property is not uncommon in the video game industry. Companies like Nintendo and Rockstar want to make sure there isn’t a derivative product on the market that could potentially mislead customers into thinking they’re playing with a legitimate product. This is why video game publishers “jealously guard their games” and why all fan mods, including the “Vice City” remake, are subject to scrutiny from the rights-holders.

The settlement between Rockstar and the “Vice City” modders may have finally come to a close, but it’s unlikely that the publisher will ever allow the release of a project that is in any way derivative of their products. The reverse-engineered “Vice City” project may be a distant memory, but the love for the original game lives on. Fans can only hope that Rockstar will eventually release an updated version for current-generation hardware.

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