A modification for Cyberpunk 2077 that allowed players to experience the game in VR has been removed. This action followed a legal takedown notice sent by CD Projekt, the game’s developer.
Luke Ross, a well-known creator of VR modifications, announced earlier this week that the studio behind Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3 had issued a DMCA notice against him. The notice specifically requested the removal of his Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod from the internet.
However, the issue was not with the mod itself or the technology it used. CD Projekt requested the removal because Ross had placed his modification behind a Patreon paywall. By doing this, he was effectively selling access to his work. This action goes against the official ‘Fan Guidelines’ set by the Cyberpunk 2077 studio. These guidelines clearly state that any content created using their games cannot be used for commercial purposes.
The official document from the studio reads: “We’re happy for you to accept reasonable donations in connection with your fan content, but you’re not allowed to make people pay for it or have it behind any sort of paywall.” The guidelines specifically mention that content should not be made available only to paid
Despite the legal pressure, Ross admitted that he feels “bitter” about being forced to take down his Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod. In a very direct post on Patreon, he wrote that the situation came down to strict corporate logic. He explained that companies always act in the name of money, while modders are expected to provide their work for free.
Ross continued to express his frustration, stating that companies often stretch the concept of “derivative work” until it is very thin. He argued that his system, which allows people to visualize over 40 different games in fully immersive 3D VR, was not built using the studio’s intellectual property. He also added that the company showed zero concern for how playing their game in VR made people happy.
According to reports, Ross generates approximately $20,000 per month from his paid mods. This income likely played a significant role in the studio’s decision to enforce their guidelines strictly.
Back in 2022, a reviewer tested Ross’s Cyberpunk 2077 mod to see how it performed. The experience was documented in a video, showing the adventures of playing the game in a virtual reality environment. The video highlighted the unique perspective of being inside the game world.
Even with the legal issues between Ross and CD Projekt, he is not stopping his VR modding work. In the same post where he discussed the removal, he announced the release of a new VR mode for Larian’s highly acclaimed game, Baldur’s Gate 3. This shows his continued dedication to bringing VR experiences to popular games.
In other news related to CD Projekt, the creative director for Cyberpunk 2 recently explained why the male version of the character V disappeared from marketing materials. This happened after the release of the game’s major 2.0 update. The director provided a simple explanation for this change in promotional focus.
