Rockstar Settles Over ‘Unauthorised’ GTA Fan Remakes
Rockstar Games is known as the developer of the biggest games on the planet, and the grandest virtual experiences that the medium has produced for its entire lifetime.
The company is currently working on GTA 6, with it widely expected to be the biggest and most popular video game ever conceived. But we guess Rockstar isn't too busy to come after modders. Figures.
Gaming companies are no strangers to a good ol' cease-and-desist (we're looking at you, Nintendo), and Rockstar is no different. But, it looks like it's willing to look for some kind of settlement with modders.
Rockstar Wants To Settle Its Suits With GTA Reverse-Engineers
Back in 2021, Rockstar made the step to come after some GTA modders who had somehow managed to reverse-engineer both Grand Theft Auto 3 and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
Rockstar claimed copyright infringement and issued DMCA claims. All the while, the creators of the versions of the games maintained that they were fair use and completely permitted because they were unprotected by copyright.
The developer insisted that GitHub remove the versions, and we haven't heard anything since. We now have some kind of update, as it has been revealed by Rockstar insider videotech that the company and the modders have reached a settlement in the suit.
Apparently, Rockstar has settled with the modders and the details will be finalised in the next 30 days. Either way, don't expect the suit itself to go any further. It also (sadly) doesn't mean we'll necessarily see the reverse-engineered games return.
Will We Ever Know More About The Reverse-Engineered GTA Games?
It's an incredibly compelling case, but it looks like we won't be lucky enough to know anything about the reverse engineering, or the case itself. Another case of games being lost to the ages under corporate squabbling.
Videotech suggests that the settlement may never be made public, which is a huge shame for the nosiest of us. Then again, it's probably for the best when it comes to the legal protection of the modders.
Rockstar is likely a little red in the face, especially after fans said the reverse-engineered work of these modders looked better than what we actually got from the maligned GTA Trilogy. Keen not to be outdone, it sounds like those Rockstar goons pulled the plug.