Rockstar to relist classic PC versions of GTA Trilogy

[Daniel Sims]

What just happened? Today Rockstar posted an update on its website apologizing for the state in which Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition launched. It also announced plans to let people buy the classic versions of the three remastered games once again.

Rockstar didn't offer a specific date for when it will re-list the older PC editions of Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, nor did it confirm a price, but it said it will bring them back to the Rockstar store on PC "shortly." They'll be sold as a bundle, and anyone who buys Definitive Edition before June 30, 2022, will get the classic version bundle for free.

Early in October, Rockstar delisted the original versions of the classic games from digital PC and console stores. Rockstar has also been filing DMCA takedown notices and lawsuits against modders of the original PC games. The modders are currently fighting the game maker's claims.

A month after Rockstar delisted the classics, it launched Definitive Edition to harsh criticism. It eventually earned the lowest Metacritic user score on record, at 0.5 out of 100. When Rockstar released the remaster collection on PC, it had to take its servers offline for maintenance, preventing customers who had bought it or other games from the store from playing them. The company had to briefly remove Definitive Edition from sale on PC because someone discovered they still contained the infamous "Hot Coffee" code.

It was inevitable. pic.twitter.com/WGYJyLywsr

— J S-A VA 🇬🇧 (@SPITFIREVA) November 11, 2021

Definitive Edition remastered the three seminal open-world action games in Unreal Engine 4 with vastly improved visuals and controls. However, players and critics have slammed it for its poor performance and slapdash approach to enhancing the graphics. In addition to making the original versions available for purchase again, Rockstar promised to improve the remasters through updates.

Anyone planning to get the classic GTA games for PC should note that even these versions do not offer the same experience as the original PlayStation 2 versions out of the box. The PC Gaming Wiki page for GTA III, for instance, is littered with patches, essential fixes, and mods needed to restore the look and feel of the PS2 version.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/92310-rockstar-relist-classic-pc-versions-gta-trilogy.html

 

[Guberian]

It not possible to anthropomorphize corporations. This means for you plebians you cant give human traits to things that aren't human.

 

[arrowflash]

Good news, that might win Rockstar a bit of forgiveness among the public... most companies' PR never back down like this when this kind of blunder happens, they'd rather sink the ship than admitting to any mistakes or wrongdoings.

However, they should also delist the new versions and polish them for a year.

 

[Thretosix]

GTA SA is available on Game Pass and I still avoided it. Seems I made the right choice.

 

[Shadowboxer]

If Rockstar games spent a bit of their billions (yes they really are worth billions) on a proper modern remake of the old games, with new textures, animations, audio etc they would be some of the best selling games ever.

But this garbage? Yeah no thanks, I have all the originals on steam already anyway.

 

[winjer]

Crocodile tears.

 

[Nobina]

I pirated it and it was so bad I had to delete it.

 

[Toju Mikie]

They are doing this because their stock price went down

 

[RudyBob]

GTA 3 is a fun game
GTA SA is a fun game
GTA Vice City is a fun game
GTA IV OK

I still have them all no need to buy a do over

 

[passwordistaco]

"remastered the three seminal open-world action games in Unreal Engine 4 with vastly improved visuals and controls."

If they actually had done that, they wouldn't be in this situation.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

I still have my OG copies, no need to buy them again just for conveniences sake.

 

[Fearghast]

Let's just remember one thing - they green lighted this thing to be released, this GTA Reforged.

 

[McMurdeR]

I played and enjoyed the original PC GTA 3 classic release. I also played Vice City on Xbox.

I dropped GTA IV half way through - I felt it had gone backwards - and I haven't played GTA V yet. I should probably play that, I have little interest in the originals except as a curiosity now.

 

[Dimitriid]

Notice how there's no apology for the console version of these turds: as long as is not as bad as 2077 on the PS4 they don't really need to apologize or stop sales: It's expected that you can't buy older console games for PS2 at whatever point Sony decides you shouldn't. Is expected that you pay for every single cash in "remaster" and it's expected it will look terrible, perform terrible and have so many bugs is barely functional.

Also, is expected that console versions will have no modders to ridicule a publisher with their talent and code releasing a better competing product for free. Next time you hear a console war argument remember cases like this.

 

[Uncle Al]

If at first, second, or third you don't succeed, cry, cry, again ........

 

[Trapped Nowhere]

Every single gta re-release by GSG seems to always have issues. I'd love to work on the game but I'd hate to be part of a team that gets that kid of reception over a decade

 

[Karlos95]

I've played every GTA game from GTA 2 to 5 and also the Vice City Stories (originals) and loved every second of them. They took time and effort in every aspect (especially the jokes that shat on everything in the real world.)

But this, is clearly been done by a company whom want quick money so they crapped out the easiest thing they could do. Even the billboards aren't the same as something as simple as the wrong food on a food sign. Like, how can you over look something so obvious like that.

I'll be lucky to pirate it if they don't fix it entirely. It would leave a bad taste in my mouth to play it the way it is now after having many days of memories of the OG titles.