Grand Theft Auto Trilogy Receives A Surprise Update, Here's What's Included

It's almost impressive when a studio releases a game in such a poor state that they have to spend as long fixing it as it took to make it. Impressively bad.

I really hope this huge update can make it to the last-gen consoles and the Switch sometime.

I still can't believe that they are still trying to fix this buggy mess of a game nearly 3 years after it launched.

@Mattgelo Yeah that would be pretty nice to see that .

🤦🏻‍♂️

The real "definitive" versions were the originals. No massive patches, complete on the supplied media, and Michael Jackson and Kate Bush in the OST.

@DarthXenos Yeah, it's almost like if the publisher would have allowed the devs to truly apply themselves during the original development, they wouldn't have gotten such massive backlash and wouldn't have to spend years after launch getting the games up to an acceptable standard.

You'd think these people in the industry would learn by now, but new day, same song.

A single man can roll out impressive updates like what we’ve got in stardew valley but the mighty rockstar can take what seems forever to grace us with the ability to “fly thru clouds”. Why thank you rockstar, how philanthropic of you!

Better late than never I guess.

A million patches will never fix this mess.

PS2 versions and OG PC versions with mods still reign supreme.

Every time I hear that word (mobile) it makes me wanna puke. Stop porting those God awful mobile ports to consoles and PC and start remastering the original native versions.

Although I have access on both PS5 and Switch, I’m not gonna bother replaying on PS5 as I already got the Platinum on all three games over 2 years ago.
The current gen, in my view, wasn’t in such a dire need of a huge patch. I always wanted the Switch version to be patched as it has the most visual glitches of all versions and uneven fps. We have to pressure Rockstar a lot so they will remember that a lot of Switch owners bought this mess and want it FIXED

Edit: the update has just released, GTA 3 and Vice City look and play like they should have been back in 2021! Can’t wait to delve deeper into San Andreas, as everything that plagued the Switch release has seemingly been ironed out: the visual glitches in the weapon/radio wheel, the unstable fps, the blurriness when played on TV and the weird audio mixing in the intro videos!

As bad as this launched it wasn’t as bad as the Arkham Knight launch and unlike Arkham Knight at least it’s been worked on that it’s decent now.

Lol oh joy! A broken game may get an update on what needs it the most

@SillyG they patched out Hot Coffee, lol

Someday, these definitive versions will look as good as the PS2 version. I'm happy they put in "classic lighting," but the color temp is still a bit off.

Isn't it inefficient this whole culture of releasing something in a state not fit for purpose then spending years with patches? Whyyy? Sounds like short term gain, long term ruin to me.

@GrailUK that's exactly what it is

Honestly the release state wasn't great but the big update a while back fixed almost everything. I've played through 3 and Vice City and they play and run just like the originals just with slightly better graphics.

Wow, Grove Street Games removed from credits - I'd guess Rockstar wont be using their services again

Wouldn't make it more sense to publish the article when the update is available for the Nintendo Switch? Or at least use a different title.

No Switch update, really...? These lazy ***** won't see any of my money.

The games just got updated on my Switch and holy *****, is it me or they look so much better now? It doesn't look blurry anymore and the classic lighting looks so much better in general!

I just got my switch update for all 3 games.

This would have been good 3 years ago. Lol

took long enough.

@LikelySatan : You had to mod the game to access that content in the first place. Plus, I'm sure the Hot Coffee versions are fetching generous amounts in the secondhand market.

Has performance/framerate also been improved with this new patch on Switch?

The update is out on Switch now.

If this comes to the Switch version too I may end up buying after all.

Edit: I guess I'll have to buy it now, according to Zach777.

so nice and look on the switch now got option to change the ligthing

Might have to re-download it. I seriously regret buying it but this is promising!

I don't get it. is this update only for the current gen or did it also applies to switch? I've heard contradicting reports that this update is only for current gen

@SillyG they had Micheal Jackson in GTA, too? Like Sonic 3?

What is with the licensing of MJ music these days?

@batmanbud2
Money is why this stuff was easier when he was still alive I imagine. Vice City originally had Billie Jean and Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.

@Koxen the article was updated to say Switch got it as well. Must’ve pushed earlier on the other systems.

Just tried out VICE CITY and, while I understand what Grove Street Games was trying for, the Classic Lighting is pretty nice. Combat feels better too.

I played all of them to death on the PS2, but when the triology was coming to switch I thought YES!
Then I saw it was an update of the mobile version and only one of the games were on the cartridge, no thank you cancelled the pre-order straight away

@Koxen Switch is current gen and also got the update.

I have them on mobile and all three games suffer from significant performance and draw distance issues on Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. What is it like on Switch, is it any better?

Had a quick go on 3, it looks 100 times better, draw distance, lighting, fog all improved. Even controls feel better, driving tighter, they've done good, 3 years late like, but i might get stuck into them again now.

did I miss the memo that told everyone to stop calling the Switch "current gen?" 🤔

Fortunately, the patch sizes haven't seen much of an increase (considering they're bloody massive as is). Only San Andreas's is noticeably larger, requiring an extra 400MB.

@PJOReilly Can we get a mini-review or updated review of the trilogy, focusing on performance/visual issues that affected the original review, since it was so long ago and this seems pretty significant?

@Serpenterror just a ridiculously bad suggestion

Excellent wouldn't had to patch it wernt busted on day one . I don't understand how you can bugger up a game that ran fine on PS2 well till put too many cheat codes in like me and make it crash. Why I hate modern gaming think it ok for consumers to fork out full price for a busted game then say it ok we will patch it. When I can't be patched twenty year and somebody buys it . It just a broken game.

@Yosti and I agree but depending on who you ask you get different answers. even rockstar does not consider switch current, but I do.

@Koxen Then don't ask those people Until Nintendo release the next generation console the current console, the Nintendo Switch, is current gen. I don't think Rockstar considers that because they release games for current (gen) hardware.

@Koxen What makes you think they don't consider it current?

It's gotten better, but I still prefer some of the mods.

Well I am glad this made it to the Switch. I've been playing San Andreas recently to celebrate the 20th anniversary and so this is good timing. Unfortunately, I've nearly completed this playthrough so I wished it could have been done back on October when San Andreas turned 20. At least Vice City will be ready when I do another playthrough of it in the near future. I still find it humorous that Rockstar make a billion profit every year from Gta Online and yet they outsourced this giant project to a team of 21 people and rushed them. Of course they had to rely on Ai for this. They've since been closed down and now their logo and name has been removed from the game to top it off. I am not worried at all for Gta 6 though. That will of course be done in house and both Rockstar and Take Two plan on it lasting at least a decade for Gta Online 2.0. I see them distancing themselves from Gta Online in Gta V and most likely will have a sizable studio to continue supporting it to some degree

So, after the update, is it worth purchasing now? I held off because I heard the initial release was disappointing. I mean, I'll likely wait for an inevitable sale still, but I just need to know is it worth putting money up for it?