CD Projekt Red Issues DMCA Takedown on Cyberpunk 2077 VR Mod

Image credit: CDPR

CD Projekt Red has issued a DMCA takedown against a popular fan-made VR mod for Cyberpunk 2077, effectively removing it from circulation after being available for nearly four years.

The mod, created by well-known VR modder Luke Ross, allowed players to explore Night City in full virtual reality, offering a level of immersion that quickly made it one of the most celebrated projects in the VR community.

The takedown was not due to the quality of the mod itself, but rather because it was locked behind a Patreon paywall. CD Projekt Red has long encouraged free modding for its titles, including Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3, but charging money for access crossed a line in the company’s fan content guidelines.

According to CD Projekt Red, community creations must have “no commercial usage,” meaning they cannot be sold or hidden behind subscription models. The studio clarified that donations are acceptable, but mandatory payment is not.

Ross responded to the takedown in a candid Patreon post titled “Another one bites the dust.” He expressed frustration with the decision, writing, “CD PROJEKT S.A. decided that they would follow in Take-Two Interactive Software’s steps and issued a DMCA notice against me.” He accused the company of applying “iron-clad corpo logic,” arguing that publishers expect modders to work for free while blocking any form of financial support.

The debate escalated when CD Projekt Red’s VP of Business Development, Jan Rosner, addressed the situation directly. “We have indeed issued a DMCA strike, as it was available as a paid mod (only accessible to Patreon subscribers). This directly violates our Fan Content Guidelines: we never allow monetization of our IP without our direct permission and/or an agreement in place,” Rosner explained.

He added that the company had contacted Ross, asking him to make the mod free for everyone with optional donations, or remove it entirely. Rosner also noted, “We are big fans of mods to our games — some of the work out there has been nothing short of amazing, including Luke’s mod for Cyberpunk 2077. We’d be happy to see it return as a free release. However, making a profit from our IP, in any form, always requires permission from CDPR.”

Ross, however, pushed back against the characterization of his work as 'fan content.' He argued that his VR framework does not reuse CD Projekt’s assets or code, but instead enables games to be viewed in immersive 3D. “I'm sorry but I don't believe you are within your rights in demanding that my software needs to be free,” he said. He compared his work to tools like RivaTuner, which intercepts game images to overlay statistics, insisting that his software is independent and not derivative.

Despite the setback, Ross has already shifted his focus to other projects. He announced a new VR mode for Baldur’s Gate 3, which, like his previous work, is also available through Patreon.

For Cyberpunk fans, there may still be hope. Flat2VR Studios has publicly expressed interest in collaborating with CD Projekt Red to create an officially sanctioned VR version of the game. Whether this collaboration actually happens is still up in the air.

Ross also suggested making the mod "official" or "at least sanctioned by the company."