Cyberpunk 2077 VR Mod Faces DMCA Takedown; Creator Refuses to Comply Despite CD Projekt Red’s Willingness to Allow a Free Release.
As CD Projekt issues a DMCA takedown against a Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod due to its paywall, the mod’s creator asserts, “I don’t believe you have the right to demand my software be free.”
Luke Ross, a well-known modder in the VR community, has been enhancing popular titles with VR support for years. His R.E.A.L VR mod framework has been applied to a variety of games, including Elden Ring, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, GTA 5, and Red Dead Redemption 2. Both GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 faced similar DMCA actions back in 2022, and now Ross finds himself in a comparable predicament.
In a post on Patreon, Ross explains, “CD PROJEKT S.A. has decided to follow in Take-Two Interactive’s footsteps and issued a DMCA notice against my Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod.” He notes that while they were somewhat more communicative, ultimately, their reasoning reflects a common corporate mindset: companies prioritize profit, while modders are expected to work for free.
Ross argues that the company is misinterpreting the concept of “derivative work,” claiming that his system, which enables immersive 3D VR experiences for over 40 games, does not infringe on their intellectual property. He believes they should appreciate the additional sales generated by the mod, especially since CD Projekt is “not planning to release their own VR port.”
“Am I a little bitter about all of this? Yeah, you bet I am,” he admits.
On Twitter, Jan Rosner, CD Projekt Red’s VP of business development, provided further context. “We did issue a DMCA strike because it was a paid mod (accessible only to Patreon subscribers). This violates our Fan Content Guidelines, which prohibit monetization of our IP without explicit permission or an agreement,” he stated. “We reached out to Luke last week to inform him that he needs to make it free for everyone (with optional donations) or remove it.”
Rosner expressed appreciation for mods, including Ross’s work on Cyberpunk 2077, and indicated a willingness to see it return as a free release. However, he emphasized that profiting from their IP requires permission.
Ross, however, is not fully accepting of this stance. After thanking Rosner, he responded, “I’m sorry, but I don’t believe you have the right to demand my software be free. It is not ‘derivative work’ or ‘fan content’; it supports many games built on different engines and contains no code or assets from your IP.”
He added, “That said, I’m all for finding a win-win solution that allows your fans to enjoy Night City in VR without harming our interests. I proposed making the mod ‘official’ or at least sanctioned by your company back in 2022, and I reiterated this last week. The current situation isn’t the best way to resolve this misunderstanding.”
As of now, Ross charges a monthly fee of $10 on Patreon for access to his VR mods. Reports from 2022 indicated he was earning around $20,000 a month from this, though that figure may have changed since then. This certainly highlights the demand for his work.
Despite the DMCA takedown, Ross seems unlikely to make the Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod free. In his Patreon post, he also mentioned his focus on other projects, including a VR mod for Baldur’s Gate 3, which he has already released in its current form. “It might be a bit rough around the edges, but we’ll refine it, as we always do.”
A former artist from Fallout and Skyrim remarked that GTA feels more vibrant than Cyberpunk 2077, stating, “Night City doesn’t feel like a real place; that aspect doesn’t resonate on the same level.”
