We have clearly had fairly a little bit of Grand Theft Auto 5 over the past decade-plus, from a number of re-releases of the sport to, after all, continued and constant updates what many may name the meat and potatoes of the expertise for the overwhelming majority of its lifetime- GTA On-line. However return additional within the collection’ timeline by only one recreation, and also you arrive on the utterly contrasting circumstances of Grand Theft Auto 4. The 2008 open world title was clearly extremely acclaimed as nicely – to the extent that, similar to GTA 5, it nonetheless stands as top-of-the-line reviewed recreation of all tine – whereas it’s additionally protected to say that it offered a ton of copies as nicely, although it might clearly by no means hope to even come near GTA 5’s business accomplishments. And but, for all of its crucial and business successes, as soon as Rockstar Video games was executed with GTA 4 – which was after two put up launch single participant expansions, which after all is one thing that GTA 5 itself by no means received – Rockstar by no means appeared again on the recreation once more.
Apparently sufficient, nevertheless, current rumblings have prompt that that might change sooner or later within the not too distant future. Recognized Rockstar Video games insider Tez2 just lately claimed on the GTA boards {that a} PS5 and Xbox Collection X/S port of Grand Theft Auto 4 has been within the works for roughly a 12 months at this level, and that Rockstar seemingly intends to launch it sooner or later later this year- which after all means that it’ll launch earlier than Grand Theft Auto 6, which was just lately formally delayed to Could 2026 (and won’t essentially be executed with delays, for all we all know). Admittedly, this isn’t the primary time we’ve got had rumours or hypothesis a few re-release of GTA 4, and clearly none of them have ever amounted to something as much as this point- however given Rockstar’s current historical past, there is precedent to recommend that GTA 4 might as soon as once more see the sunshine of day.
Rockstar has lengthy been within the behavior of outright ignoring its previous releases, refusing to supply remasters or remakes or something resembling a re-release even within the face of overwhelming demand. Till not too way back, the unique Pink Lifeless Redemption was an identical case, however with the acclaimed 2010 Wild West epic having been dropped at PC, PS4, and Nintendo Swap over the past couple of years, it now does really feel likelier than it ever has that Rockstar is likely to be trying to do one thing related with Grand Theft Auto 4 as nicely. In spite of everything, that’s one other beloved title from that very same period of Rockstar video games that hasn’t seen the sunshine of day in ages, which in flip has actually ratcheted up the demand for the sport to come back again that rather more. But when Rockstar does certainly resolve to do a GTA 4 re-release, our hope is it’ll be rather more than a easy port.
One factor most will seemingly agree on is that the aforementioned Pink Lifeless Redemption re-release ought to not function a yardstick for Rockstar to measure in opposition to, as a result of the bar ought to actually be considerably increased. The Pink Lifeless Redemption port actually was in nearly all methods only a merely and easy port. It provided few upgrades, and those that it did have been negligible at greatest. The decision was upscaled, there have been some mild enhancements to the image high quality, the UI noticed some minor changes right here and there- and that was just about it. There have been no upgrades to the lighting, to the belongings or the textures, or something of word, actually. Hell, there wasn’t even a efficiency mode- even when performed on PS4 Professional or on PS5 through backward compatibility, the sport stays locked at 30 FPS, which is only a crying disgrace, to place it mildly. To prime all of it off, Rockstar determined to cost this re-release – which was deemed by many to be a low effort port of a recreation over a decade previous – at a $50 level, which felt unreasonable, to say the least. Fortunately, the bundle did embody the Undead Nightmare enlargement for that worth, so at the very least there was no further fleecing being executed on that entrance.
The purpose being, after all, that Grand Theft Auto 4’s re-release, whether it is certainly on the way in which, can’t take an identical strategy. what the usual is for quite a few excessive profile remastered releases within the present market, it’s unimaginable to not have increased expectations from a GTA 4 re-release. Simply check out one thing like Ninja Gaiden 2 Black or The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, each of that are remasters that launched this 12 months and ended up impressing many with simply how considerably upgraded and overhauled they have been over the unique experiences despite solely being remasters on paper. Return somewhat additional, and have a look at, say, Metroid Prime Remastered, or Mass Impact Legendary Version, or The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, all of which provided significant upgrades and enhancements that you simply didn’t need to squint to even be capable of discover. Whereas a Grand Theft Auto 4 re-release doesn’t have to be fairly on that very same degree so far as its upgrades are involved, with requirements and expectations for remasters being increased usually, a low effort port for GTA 4 will likely be fairly a tough capsule to swallow by many- as evidenced by the frustration many felt with the Pink Lifeless port.
Rockstar has tried its hand at precise remastered releases in recent times as nicely, after all, although that sadly didn’t work too nicely. Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Version launched a handful of years in the past on trendy platforms and, as most would inform you, did an terrible job of remastering and modernizing three gaming masterpieces. Although GTA: The Definitive Version did positively put in rather more of an effort than the Pink Lifeless port did, the hassle that it did put in was lackluster, to place it mildly- and our hope is that Grand Theft Auto 4’s purported launch for contemporary platforms will sidestep these errors as nicely.
The factor with GTA 4 is, after all, that it stays a spectacular recreation with unimaginable spectacular tech and visuals even as we speak, a ridiculously immersive and genuine city open world map to lose your self in, one of the vital gripping tales that GTA has ever informed, informed by means of who might very nicely be the collection’ greatest protagonist ever. Grand Theft Auto 4 was an unabashed traditional in each sense of the phrase, so to see it modernized and up to date with the correct quantity of effort and thought put in might be extremely thrilling, not just for returning followers trying to expertise Liberty Metropolis once more, but in addition for brand new ones who by no means performed the sport when it first got here out. Grand Theft Auto 6 will clearly seemingly up the ante in all these areas by fairly some margin when it releases subsequent 12 months, however till then, an enhanced GTA 4 on trendy consoles ought to function a wonderful appetizer. Right here’s hoping that truly does find yourself taking place this time.
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