It looks like Take-Two Interactive is back at it again censoring community-created content and has law firm Frankfurt Kurnit Klein + Selz acting on its behalf to shut down a recent mod for Red Dead Redemption 2 titled “Hot Coffee.”
If you have no idea what this mod does, it mirrors the Hot Coffee inaccessible mini-game in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. In other words, you can pick up a woman or a prostitute and have sex with them — except there’s no nudity, and it uses assets/sounds from the game itself.
You can find the mod by Unlosing and Jedijosh920 on NexusMods, which the creators seemingly are in conversation with Take-Two Interactive and the law firm.
YouTuber SWEGTA has a video covering the latest event, as seen below:
In case you did not watch the video, here lies part of the conversation between the modders and the lawyers working for Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games, which the latter, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein + Selz, had this to say to the modders:
“I’ve been trying to reach you by phone but you haven’t answered my calls or returned my voicemail. It’s very important that we speak.
We represent Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games, owners of Red Dead Redemption 2, and have become aware of your Red Dead Redemption 2 “Hot Coffee” mod posted under the aliases “Jedi Josh920” and “Unlosing.”
You probably realized that mods such as this violate the game’s End User License Agreement and Code of Conduct as well as a host of other legal violations.
While this is a serious matter, I’m hoping we can reach a quick and amicable solution. It would be unfortunate if we had to escalate this further. But we cannot resolve this unless you contact me immediately. And while the mod must be taken down and disabled, please do not delete any data, code, accounts, communications, logs, etc. related to the mod.
Again, please do not ignore this email. We are trying to reach an agreeable solution, but this is serious and will not go away by ignoring it. We expressly reserved all rights.
Thank you.”
The modders response lies below:
“I received your email regarding the “Hot Coffee” mod for Red Dead Redemption 2. Could you please be more specific with the policies I have violated?
No external assets were used when creating the mod, and all animations/audio were pulled directly from content that’s still in the game.
Thank you.”
After the modders wrote up the above response, the lawyers and Take-Two Interactive have a problem with the sexual content being displayed in the mod, and therefore, they are using other means of the EULA and Code of Conduct to take the mod down:
“Thank you for responding.
Although there are several violations at play, to name a few, part (i) of Rockstars EULA license conditions prohibits acts like decompiling, preparing derivative works based on, or otherwise modifying the Software. Part (M) prohibits violating the Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct for online services includes a prohibition on users creating, uploading, or posting material that is vulgar, obscene sexually oriented, or inconsistent with community standards.
The animation and all of the software’s content is also protected by copyright law, and the mod infringes on the copyright holder’s exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, and prepare derivative works.
That being said, frankly, it is the sexual content of the Hot Coffee mod that is causing particular concern here and the reason for why the mod needs to be taken down and disabled immediately.
Please let me know when you’re available to discuss
further.
I appreciate you taking this matter seriously.
Again, we reserved all rights.”
As of this writing, the mod is still up, but it doesn’t mean that Take-Two Interactive and Frankfurt Kurnit Klein + Selz won’t try harder to get this mod removed.
Lastly, Red Dead Redemption 2 is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.