According to a recent Kotaku report, three early Grand Theft Auto (GTA) games will be getting the remaster-treatment. We could even see them before the end of the year on pretty much every platform available, why leave out a potential revenue stream?
This report follows rumours around the project showing up all over the internet on Reddit, Twitter and a few other message boards, including The Message Board That Shall Not Be Named. Almost as if it knew it was fuelling the rumour fires, Take-Two Interactive — parent company of Rockstar — went on a DMCA spree ordering the removal of GTA mods using classic GTA material. At the same time, the company announced it was working on three remastered titles, coincidence?
While Kotaku couldn’t verify the specific titles, its sources — who are apparently reliable — said the titles in question are Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto San Andreas. All three of these were released between 2001 and 2004 on the PlayStation 2 using the same engine.
GTA remastered? Cool, but when?
Plans regarding the release of the latest remasters have been in a state of constant flux. It seemed that the original plan was to have them bundled together as a gift with the upcoming ports of GTA V and GTA Online. That wouldn’t make sense. Why give them away for free and earn nothing when you could charge for them and earn more money?
Then plans changed to an early 2021 release which obviously didn’t happen. Currently, it seems the plans are — at least from what Kotaku’s sources say — aiming for a late October/early November release. Although don’t be surprised if that changes again or if Rockstar does what they did with GTA V and release the console versions first, followed by the PC version sometime next year.
If things go well with the GTA remasters then it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to think Rockstar might be eyeing a Red Dead Redemption remaster. Here’s to hoping.
Source: Kotaku