Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City and San Andreas remasters reportedly real
Sources told Kotaku they were in late stages of development
Kotaku are reporting that the long-rumoured Grand Theft Auto remasters are real. According to "corroborating details from three sources," they said that remasters of Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City, and San Andreas are "currently in the final stages of development."
These same sources reportedly have provided reliable information about GTA Online updates weeks and months before their release. That said, they are anonymous sources talking to a different outlet, and I can't confirm their accuracy. Take all of this with a pinch of salt.
According to the Kotaku report, the games will use a mix of "new and old graphics" and resemble "a heavily-modded version of a classic GTA title." In other words, they're remasters rather than remakes. Reportedly they're also in development for all platforms, although consoles are the main focus and PC versions are expected in 2022 rather than this year.
Rumours about GTA remasters or remakes have been in the air for years now, amplified by recent stories of Rockstar issuing takedown notices to any mod looking to port old GTA games to modern engines or versions of the game.
I was lukewarm on the idea of GTA remakes when they were hinted at in a Take Two investor call earlier this year, and asked if anyone really wanted them. The answer was a resounding: fuck you, prick. I gather the subtext was that people do really want these remasters.
Honestly, now that it seems more certain that they're real, I find myself more intrigued to see and play them. Maybe that's just self-preservation, though.