Cyberpunk 2077 VR Mod Removed After Developer Refuses To Make It Free

Generally, People Are Saying That The Popular R.E.A.L. VR mod For Cyberpunk 2077 Vanished After Its Creator, Luke Ross, Got A DMCA Notice From CD Projekt. Obviously, He Had Been Charging Fans On Patreon, And Now The Studio Says Enough, Basically.

What Happened?

Normally, Ross Posted On His Patreon Over The Weekend, Saying CD Projekt Demanded A Takedown Because The Mod Was Behind A Paywall, Which Is Pretty Standard. Apparently, He Called It “Iron-Clad Corpo Logic,” Blaming The Publisher For Protecting IP While Expecting Modders To Work For Free, That’s Just How It Is.

Usually, He Wrote, “CD Projekt SA Decided To Follow In Take-Two Interactive’s Footsteps,” Pointing To A 2022 DMCA Sweep That Hit His VR Mods For GTA V, Red Dead Redemption 2, And The Mafia Series, It’s All Connected. Clearly, They Stretched ‘Derivative Work’ To Its Limits, As If A System For VR Support In 40+ Games Relied On Their IP, That’s A Lot Of Games.

Hopefully, He Also Said The Mod Boosted Sales And Gave Players A Reason To Return To The Game, Yet CD Projekt Never Planned An Official VR Port, That’s Too Bad.

Controversy Over Paid Mods

Generally Speaking, The R.E.A.L. VR Mod Wasn’t Just A Fan-Favorite, It Made Money, Over $20,000 A Month According To A 2022 Verge Report, That’s A Lot Of Money. Naturally, Some Fans Defended Ross, Saying Modders Deserve Compensation, They Have A Point.

Obviously, Others Reminded That Most Publishers Ban Paywalls, It’s Just The Way It Is, You Know. CD Projekt’s Fan Content Guidelines Allow Donations But Forbid Commercial Use, That’s Clear.

Apparently, Ross Admitted He Knew The Rule But Kept Charging Until The Legal Pressure Hit, He Took A Risk.

Mixed Reactions from the Community

Usually, The Community Splits On Issues Like This, Some Shouted Support For Ross And Asked CD Projekt To Reverse The Takedown, They Want Justice. Normally, Others Said He Knew The Risk And Was Now Playing The Victim, That’s A Valid Point.

Clearly, On r/VirtualReality, A User Wrote, “This Isn’t The First Mod He’s Had Taken Down For Trying To Turn It Into A Live Service, He Knew He Was Breaking The Rules,” That’s True. Generally, Another Replied, “Mods Aren’t A Profit Machine, Not Everything Has To Be About Money,” That’s A Good Point.

What’s Next for R.E.A.L. VR?

Hopefully, Ross Ended His Note On A Hopeful Tone, Saying The Mod Now Works With Baldur’s Gate 3, That’s Good News. Normally, Given His History Of DMCA Battles, It’s Unclear How Long That Support Will Last, Especially If Publishers Like Hasbro Step In, That’s A Concern.

Generally, For Now, Fans Of Cyberpunk 2077 Who Loved The VR Experience Are Left Without An Official Or Paid Alternative, That’s Too Bad. Obviously, The Debate Over Modder Compensation Versus Corporate Control Keeps Rolling, With No Clear Answer In Sight, It’s A Tough Issue.