Rockstar Games’ Dundee studio is working on remastered versions of three classic PS2-era Grand Theft Auto titles: Grand Theft Auto 3, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Kotaku reports. A late October or early November release is said to be tentatively planned for the titles, which could eventually be released for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, Switch, PC, Stadia, and mobile phones.
Rumors of the remastered titles have been floating around for some time, but this month Rockstar Games’ parent company Take-Two Interactive confirmed it has plans to release “three unannounced” iterations of old games, alongside current-gen ports of GTAV, GTA Online, and Kerbal Space Program. However, considering Take-Two’s library of games, these three unannounced remasters could include anything from Bioshock to Max Payne, or Bully.
According to Kotaku, the three GTA games are being remastered in Unreal Engine, with one source commenting that they look like heavily-modified versions of the existing titles. Gameplay is said to be staying true to the originals, while their UI should also retain their classic style. The games’ release has reportedly shifted a lot as a result of the pandemic, but the current plan is said to be a simultaneous digital release for the three titles across most platforms this year, with PC and mobile following in 2022.
A spokesperson from Rockstar Games did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The publisher is also said to be planning a remaster of the original Red Dead Redemption if the remastered trilogy sells well.
Rockstar’s PS2-era trilogy defined a generation of open-world games, and were three of the biggest games on the console. Although the three feature independent worlds and storylines, they’re part of the same shared universe, with certain characters appearing across the three games. In addition to the trilogy, Rockstar also released two PSP games set in the same cities (one in GTA3’s Liberty City and one in Vice City), which were later ported to traditional consoles.
