GTA Remastered Trilogy – Remake or Remaster?

**UPDATE 09/10/21** – Rockstar have now officially announced this as the GTA Trilogy – Definitive Edition.


Notice the absence of ‘Remaster’ or ‘Remake’ in the officially announced title. Although no further news was given, we’re confident Rockstar will make this something both special and worth keeping, for GTA 3’s 20th anniversary.

Rockstar did also announce that in preparation of the trilogy’s release, they’ll begin removing the classic digital versions from retail sale, starting as early as next week (11/10/21). Better get adding them to cart quick, if that’s given you the urge to stash them in your digital libraries!

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Rumours are spreading like a Persona mechanic, on the possibility of a GTA trilogy remaster heading to stores this year!

D4G take a look at what ignited this and just what this trilogy could offer.



The leak/rumour: A source close to/inside Rockstar leaked the following information:

– Originally planed to contain next-gen enhanced versions of GTA 5 and GTA Online, the trilogy will now launch as a standalone package

– Rockstar Dundee have been hard at work developing the trilogy (now in its final stages)

– The GTA trilogy remaster is being developed for all platforms (including Switch and mobile)

– PC and mobile ports will likely be moved to next year

– The trilogy is being developed using the Unreal Engine

– A source that has been reported to have seen footage of the trilogy in action, described the engine as “a heavily modified version of a classic GTA title that will stay true to the PS2-era GTA games”

D4G’s take on the GTA Trilogy Remastered source leaks:

A different developer (Rockstar Dundee), reports of fan-made remasters being shutdown and Take2 reporting that they plan to release new iterations of previously released titles, really give these recent rumours heavy credibility. There is no doubt that the GTA Trilogy is happening. However, the real question is will it be a remaster or a remake?

What can we expect for the 2021 GTA Trilogy re-releases?

At first, the reports of the engine being heavily modified from classic versions, as well as being released for mobile, did make us think of engines very similar to the PSP’s/DS’s Chinatown Wars (but with a few more bells and whistles).


Could the GTA Remaster Trilogy use the Chinatown Wars engine (remake) or if the “modded version of a classic” reports are true, is this a touch-up on the existing PS2 releases? (remaster).

However, this could well be a mixture of engines and styles for certain systems as the Switch and mobile could get Chinatown-like remakes, while the PC, Xbox One/Series, PS4/5 versions could be developed more closely to the engine of GTA 4 (but modified and enhanced because of it).

The interesting and executive decision here, is that if the GTA Trilogy does turn out to be a modded version of the PS2 releases, these could easily play across all platforms (reaching the ever-growing Switch and casual mobile gamer bases). A target Rockstar are more than likely going to aim for.

I read that the GTA Remaster Trilogy would be remade in the GTA V engine?

Believe me, I hear you and I was so stoked for this when I first caught wind of such rumours. Having GTA 3, Vice City and San Andreas all remade in GTA V’s newer RAGE engine, would be nothing short of amazing! Unfortunately as much as I would love to both believe and see this, the reported “heavily modified version of a classic GTA title” suggests otherwise. Remember though, that wasn’t an official statement…

Hey, if it does turn out to be a touch-up on the PS2 classics, maybe Rockstar are holding back on the GTA V/RAGE engine remake, and saving it for a truly special GTA 4 remake?

What are your thoughts on how the GTA Trilogy will look and do you feel it will differ across the platforms, or be developed to accommodate them all?