"GTA 4 Remaster Urged by Ex-Rockstar: Niko Best Protagonist"

A former Rockstar veteran has responded to recent rumors that a re-release of Grand Theft Auto IV (GTA 4) for the latest generation of consoles could be in the works, stating that the game should be remastered.

The rumors about a potential GTA 4 re-release originated from a post by Tez2, a well-known leaker within the GTA community. Tez2 hinted that a modern port of GTA 4 might be released this year and suggested that this was connected to Rockstar's recent decision to shut down a GTA 5 Liberty City Mod.

However, it's important to note that Rockstar has not officially announced any plans to re-release GTA 4. Given the studio's current focus on developing GTA 6, such a project would be unexpected.

Every Celebrity in GTA 4

View 26 ImagesObbe Vermeij, a former technical director at Rockstar Games who worked there from 1995 to 2009, was asked about the GTA 4 rumors on social media. Although he had not heard about the rumors, he expressed that GTA 4, a game he worked on, "should be remastered."

"It's a great game and there have been a number of successful remasters recently," he added, possibly alluding to the popular The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.

In another post, Vermeij stated, "I would like to see it updated. Niko is still the best protagonist in any GTA game I think."

Regarding how a potential remaster might be executed, Vermeij suggested that Rockstar could port GTA 4 to the latest version of the Rage engine, the engine they use for their games.

Again, it's crucial to emphasize that Rockstar has not given any indication of plans to remaster GTA 4. The studio is deeply engaged in the development of GTA 6, and undertaking a GTA 4 remaster or remake alongside that would likely be beyond their current capacity, despite their vast resources.

Rockstar could potentially outsource the port to an external studio, similar to what they did with the Red Dead Redemption port. However, releasing a GTA 4 remaster in 2025, the same year GTA 6 is slated for release, seems unlikely. Rockstar would probably not want to split the audience's attention between a remaster and the highly anticipated GTA 6.

Some GTA fans speculate that Liberty City, the setting of GTA 4 and GTA: Chinatown Wars, might appear in GTA 6, either at launch or as post-launch DLC. Liberty City is Rockstar's rendition of New York City, while GTA 6 is set in the fictional state of Leonida, which includes Vice City, modeled after Miami.

While we await further news, you can explore more about GTA 6, including all the details we've uncovered so far, a collection of 70 new screenshots, and expert insights on how GTA 6 will perform on the PS5 Pro.