Report: Rockstar is remastering three Grand Theft Auto games for Xbox, other platforms

Gta Vice City Image
Gta Vice City Image (Image credit: Rockstar Games)

What you need to know

  • Rockstar Games is reportedly remastering three Grand Theft Auto titles.
  • This ports are being planned as a compilation that includes Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City and San Andreas.
  • Ports of other games, like Red Dead Redemption, are also reportedly being explored.

Rockstar Games is remastering three Grand Theft Auto games for Xbox, PlayStation, PC, Stadia, mobile and Nintendo Switch platforms, according to a report from Kotaku. The games in question are Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which originally launched in 2001, 2002 and 2004, respectively.

These games are reportedly being remastered using Epic Games' Unreal Engine, while development of these remasters is being led by Rockstar Dundee. The Scottish studio is newest addition to Rockstar Games and was known as Ruffian Games before being acquired. Ruffian Games was the lead developer of Crackdown 2 and also provided support work on titles like Halo: The Master Chief Collection.

The plans for these remastered games have also reportedly shifted due to the pandemic, with the possibility that the games might launch in November but the mobile and PC ports could be delayed to 2022. It also appears the three games will be bundled together as a digital-only package. Per the report, new ports of games like Red Dead Redemption are also on the table, though this could depend on the sales of the remastered Grand Theft Auto games. 2019 western adventure Red Dead Redemption 2 sold over 38 million copies as of earlier in 2021.

Rockstar Games' latest entry in the GTA series, Grand Theft Auto 5, recently crossed 150 million copies sold, with a new version of GTA 5 for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PS5 scheduled to launch on November 11, 2021. Grand Theft Auto 6 is also reportedly in development, though it seems like that game won't arrive until possibly 2025.

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Samuel Tolbert
Freelance Writer

Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, specifically focusing on Xbox and PC gaming on Windows Central. You can find him on Twitter @SamuelTolbert.