Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games and owner of the Grand Theft Auto franchise, just issued a DMCA takedown request for the online port of GTA: Vice City hosted by DOS Zone. This has forced the online platform to remove the game from its library, which allowed players to run the large-scale game directly from their browser. An email from Ebrand, a global online brand protection firm acting on behalf of the owner of the GTA franchise, stated that DOS Zone must remove content and functionality that referenced or enabled anyone to use the game or any other Take-Two titles, including the game demo.
“It has come to our attention that your website is hosting and promoting a browser-based project that uses that name ‘Grand Theft Auto: Vice City,’” the letter said. It also added, “Your website further invites users to input data and keys from original game copies to access or unlock functionality. This activity facilitates unauthorized use of copyrighted game content and may constitute circumvention of technological protection measures, in violation of applicable copyright law, including the DMCA. Despite the disclaimers published on your site, your project is not authorized, licensed, endorsed, or approved by Take-Two or Rockstar Games. The use of our client’s trademarks, copyrighted materials, and game-related references in this manner is misleading to users and constitutes infringement of Take-Two’s intellectual property rights.”
