‘Cyberpunk 2077’ VR Mod Taken Down Following Authorized Grievance, However There Might Nonetheless Be Hope

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Luke Ross, the prolific VR modder, has been pressured to take away his standard Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod, citing authorized considerations from CD PROJEKT.

The Information

Ross launched phrase by way of his Patreon on Saturday that Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt had issued a DMCA takedown discover for the elimination of the sport’s unofficial VR mod—simply one among many ‘REAL VR’ mods from Ross, which embrace Hogwarts Legacy, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, Elden Ring, and Last Fantasy VII Remake.

And it appears to boil all the way down to Ross having positioned the VR mod behind a Patreon paywall—basically promoting entry to it, CD Projekt maintains.

“A minimum of they have been somewhat extra open about it, and I might get a reply each from their authorized division and from the VP of enterprise improvement,” Ross says, evaluating proceedings to an identical takedown by Take Two Interactive. “However ultimately it amounted to the identical iron-clad corpo logic: each little motion that an organization takes is within the identify of cash, however all the things that modders do should be completely at no cost,” Ross says.

CD Projekt states in its ‘Fan Tips’ nevertheless that content material created by the neighborhood ought to have “[n]o business utilization,” making it pretty clear the place Ross ran afoul.

“We’d love in your fan content material to be created by followers, for followers. Subsequently, you can’t do something with our video games for any business objective, except explicitly permitted in any other case under (e.g. see part 3 about movies and streams). We’re pleased so that you can settle for cheap donations in connection together with your fan content material, however you’re not allowed to make individuals pay for it or have it behind any kind of paywall (e.g. don’t make content material solely out there to paid subscribers).”

Nonetheless, there could also be a means for CD Projekt to launch an official VR model. Flat2VR Studios, the studio behind VR ports similar to Trombone Champ, Half-Life 2 VR and Surviving Mars: Pioneer, has propositioned CR Undertaking for its personal formally sanctioned model.

Try Cas & Chary’s hands-on with the mod under:

My Take

It’s not a cautionary story simply but, but it surely takes only one overzealous writer to essentially wreck a VR modder hoping to monetize. Whereas it doesn’t appear to be Luke Ross’ case with both Take Two or CD Undertaking, the potential for invoking the wrath of a company authorized division is an actual threat, which might embrace greater than only a DMCA takedown.

Relying on how litigious an organization is, they may go so far as prying right into a modder’s income to see how a lot cash they made off the mod’s launch, and demanding statutory damages consequently. Though the mod has been up since 2022, Ross appears to have complied with takedown discover shortly, which has in all probability saved him protected from going through these kinds of actions.

That mentioned, I’ve my doubts we’ll ever see an official VR model. I like the concept of Flat2VR Studios giving Cyberpunk 2077 the VR remedy, but it surely does have the potential to trigger neighborhood backlash.

If it’s a VR port, some customers might ask: “why would I purchase a VR model of the sport I already personal?” Or, supplied VR assist turns into a paid add-on to the sport: “why would I purchase VR assist that I already paid for?” Both means, its not a very good look for an organization to so clearly cash grub.

As it’s, I believe the ship has sailed on Ross making the Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod free, which suggests both Flat2VR picks it up, or a 3rd social gathering creates their very own free VR mod. We’ll simply have to attend and see.

The submit ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ VR Mod Taken Down Following Authorized Grievance, However There Might Nonetheless Be Hope appeared first on Highway to VR.

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