And they could be coming to the Nintendo Switch
It sounds like some PS2-era Grand Theft Auto games could be getting some modern versions. According to a new report from Kotaku, Rockstar Games might be remastering Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, and San Andreas for a bunch of platforms, including the Switch.
The report notes that rumors have been around about remasters and remakes of these Grand Theft Auto games for a while, including speculation around Take-Two’s remaster plans. Kotaku says it can confirm via details from three sources that the GTA remasters are currently in the final stage of development.
These games are reportedly being remastered in Unreal Engine, with a mix of new and old graphics and an updated UI that retains the classic style of those games.
Rockstar Dundee is reportedly leading development, and plans have apparently shifted around quite a bit due to the pandemic. As plans reportedly stand, the remasters will be coming in “late October or early November” for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC, Stadia, and mobile phones. Kotaku does note that the PC and mobile ports may slip into the next year, as Rockstar could focus on consoles first.
Rockstar also reportedly has plans to develop new ports of games like Red Dead Redemption, but that future might depend on how well these initial relaunches sell.
A remastered version of these classics would probably be a welcome launch for nostalgic GTA fans. The 3D, PlayStation 2-era Grand Theft Auto games had a pretty big impact, and being able to go back to Vice City and San Andreas sounds rad. Plans are always subject to change, especially due to current worldwide conditions, but we’ll see if these (hopefully) come to fruition later in the year.
