Take-Two’s DMCA hammer falls on fan-made GTA browser revival

A fan-made browser version of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City briefly allowed players to enjoy the classic game directly in web browsers without downloads. Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar Games’ parent company, swiftly issued a DMCA takedown notice to DOS Zone, the hosting site, forcing its removal. DOS Zone hosted a reverse-engineered port of GTA: Vice City, enabling users to upload game files or keys for browser play, complete with save progress and controller support. The project gained viral traction on social media and forums shortly after launch around December 22, 2025. Within days, by December 24, Take-Two’s legal team, via brand protection firm Ebrand, demanded removal, citing trademark infringement, unauthorized use of copyrighted materials, and circumvention of protections. This takedown highlights ongoing tensions between fan preservation efforts and corporate IP enforcement, similar to past actions against GTA reverse-engineering projects on GitHub. While open-source versions linger on platforms like GitHub, Take-Two could target them next via Microsoft. Fans express frustration over lack of official browser ports, especially as Take-Two focuses on GTA VI slated for 2026, while still selling Vice City re-releases. Retro gaming sites face increasing scrutiny, with calls for laws on abandonware or shorter software copyrights to enable decompilation of old binaries. Unlike Nintendo’s aggressive tactics, Take-Two protects assets but prioritizes new revenue streams. Emulation remains a legal gray area, deterring future fan projects without official endorsement.

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