In GTA San Andreas, Rockstar wanted to make three different maps for the three cities, but they changed their mind…

Rockstar Games can boast that GTA 5 has become the most successful video game in its history. In fact, with over 200 million copies sold, it is the second-best-selling title of all time. However, more than 20 years have passed since the original release of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, a title many gamers fondly remember. To this day, many people consider it their favourite franchise. This legend is just as enjoyable today as it was on day one, and interestingly, details unknown a few hours ago have come to light.

Rockstar Games veteran, who also developed GTA 4, Obbe Vermeij, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of GTA San Andreas, recalled the development of the game on his X/Twitter account, revealing some secrets and tidbits that led to its release. “20 years ago we released Grand Theft Auto – San Andreas. The original plan was for the 3 cities to be on separate maps. The player would travel between the cities using trains and planes. (Gta 1 and 2 also had three cities on separate maps)” – he begins.

Times were different for Rockstar during GTA San Andreas

He goes on to talk about the limitations of the PlayStation 2: “Memory was very tight on the ps2 and with separate maps, the other cities’ skyline models wouldn’t have to be in memory. It would also make it easier to have different police/ambulance/firetrucks for each city. Different pickups, weather types etc. It would also be easier to contain the player until it was time for the next city,” he revealed.

About the release, he says that “it would also make it easier to organize the models on the DVD city-by-city”. “Just before the artists started working on the three maps, we had a final meeting at R* North in which we changed our minds and decided to go for a big map after all. We still ended up doing city-specific pickups, police cars and weather.” In another tweet, he further elaborates on the topic, saying that “game releases were different back then.”

“It took 6 weeks for the DVDs to be produced, boxed and distributed.”

“Patches over the internet were not yet a thing. For us, all of the stress had happened at the cut-off point, 6 weeks prior. Now devs had taken a holiday and we were already thinking about our next project. Digital distribution didn’t exist yet. Games were typically released on a Tuesday/Wednesday in the UK. The internet was crap and apart from a couple of trailers, gamers didn’t know too much about the game. For big games, stores would open at Midnight before release day so that pre-orders could be picked up,” says the former developer of GTA San Andreas.

“I only found out later, the publisher has to pay the stores to make these late openings happen. I went to the biggest store near the R*North offices, which was HMV on Princess Street, Edinburgh. Even though it was a drizzly night, the line meandered all through the store and spilled out onto the street. It was mind-blowing to see all those people so excited, going home to play the game all through the night” – Bermeij concludes the nostalgia.

Source: X

20 years ago we released Grand Theft Auto – San Andreas.

The original plan was for the 3 cities to be on separate maps. The player would travel between the cities using trains and planes.
(Gta 1 and 2 also had three cities on separate maps)

Memory was very tight on the ps2 and… pic.twitter.com/kUMxR9Kt96

— Obbe Vermeij (@ObbeVermeij) October 25, 2024