Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod disappears after mod maker decides he’d relatively take it down than make it free

The maker of the favored R.E.A.L. VR mod for Cyberpunk 2077 has accused CD Projekt of “iron-clad corpo logic” after the studio issued a DMCA demanding the mod’s removing.

“A lot of you might have seen that two of my current posts disappeared a few week in the past,” mod maker Luke Ross wrote over the weekend on his Patreon. “I apologize that I couldn’t remark personally concerning the truth, as a result of there was an ongoing authorized alternate.

“Now that the mud has settled, I am much more sorry to announce that we’re forsaking an journey that so lots of you deeply cherished and loved. CD Projekt SA determined that they’d observe in Take-Two Interactive Software program’s steps and issued a DMCA discover towards me for the removing of the Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod.”

Associated articles

Ross is the maker of R.E.A.L. VR, which is basically a mod framework that brings VR help quite a few video games, together with Elden Ring, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Far Cry 4-6, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Star Wars Outlaws, and others. All very cool: The issue is that if you’d like the mod, you must subscribe to his Patreon, and charging cash for mods is one thing that almost all huge publishers—together with CD Projekt—take difficulty with. The Take-Two comparability in Ross’ message arises from that firm’s DMCA claims towards the R.E.A.L. VR mod for Grand Theft Auto 5, Purple Lifeless Redemption 2, and the Mafia trilogy in 2022.

“Ultimately it amounted to the identical iron-clad corpo logic: each little motion that an organization takes is within the identify of cash, however the whole lot that modders do have to be completely free of charge,” Ross wrote.

“As traditional they stretch the idea of ‘spinoff work’ till it is paper-thin, as if a system that permits visualizing 40+ video games in totally immersive 3D VR was by some means constructed making use of their mental property. And as traditional they offer completely zero f***s about how taking part in their recreation in VR made folks pleased, and so they can’t simply be grateful concerning the further copies of the title they bought due to that—with out ever having to pour cash into producing an official conversion (no, they don’t seem to be planning to launch their very own VR port, in case you have been questioning).”

For the document, the R.E.A.L. VR mod is fashionable and apparently very profitable: A 2022 report by The Verge stated Ross (not his actual identify) was incomes greater than $20,000 per 30 days from the mod.

Among the responses to Ross’ submit on his Patreon web page are essential of CD Projekt, and urge followers to put in writing the corporate and ask that the takedown request be lifted. Others level out that he might merely launch the Cyberpunk 2077 mod standalone, free of charge, with an non-compulsory button for donations.

There seems to be even stronger pushback on the Virtualreality subreddit. “This isn’t the primary mod the modder had taken down as a result of he tried to make a stay service out of it,” Frraksurred wrote. “He knew he was outdoors the ToS and simply selected to get away with it so long as he might. Now he is making an attempt to play the sufferer.”

Redditor ottermoment additionally made a not-flattering comparability between the Cyberpunk 2077 takedown and the disappearance of these VR mods for Rockstar video games.

Associated articles

“‘By the corpos’ who created the whole lot and so they clearly say that paid mods aren’t allowed,” redditor MotherFunker1734 added. “Mods aren’t a revenue machine. Not the whole lot needs to be made for revenue. No, he does not need to receives a commission 100,000 instances for one thing he wrote as soon as utilizing another person’s code.”

Taking the donation route would nearly actually be wonderful. CD Projekt has traditionally been supportive of modding, however the first “golden rule” of its fan content material tips is “no business utilization,” and describes nearly precisely what Ross is doing with the R.E.A.L. VR mod: “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 folks pay for it or have it behind any form of paywall (e.g. don’t make content material solely accessible to paid subscribers).”

Even so, Ross admitted to being “bitter” concerning the takedown, “particularly once they by no means even knew or cared throughout all this time that the VR conversion was there, and are solely knee-jerk reacting now as a result of any individual reported to them that it existed and it was not free.”

Regardless of that apparent anger, Ross stated he needed to finish his message on a optimistic be aware, which he did by saying that R.E.A.L. VR now helps Baldur’s Gate 3. I suppose we’ll see how Hasbro feels about this form of factor quickly sufficient.