Grand Theft Auto fans have asked Rockstar to remaster San Andreas or Vice City for years. Thanks to new mods that enhance the classic entries with ray-tracing technology, fans now have a way of enjoying modern technology in older GTA titles.

The mods were created by a group of loyal fans and give three GTA classics – GTA 3, San Andreas, and Vice City – an update with next-gen technology. They greatly improve the visuals of the games, all of which released more than 10 years ago, with ray-traced shadows and reflections. The new lighting effects make the streets and storefronts of GTA’s cities come to life with light reflecting off windows and cars. However, other aspects of the games’ graphics, such as textures, remain the same.

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Ray-tracing is a rendering technique that uses advanced algorithms to trace the path of light and simulate the way it interacts with virtual objects, creating settings that appear life-like. The technology is one of the most talked about features that the new generation of consoles have to offer, though PC gamers have enjoyed ray-tracing technology for some time now.

While most of the console games that have ray-tracing technology are new releases for the PS5 and Xbox Series X, such as Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, some developers are beginning to use the technology to remaster their past games. One of the latest examples is the original Spider-Man that was released on PS4 in 2018 and then remastered for the PS5 with ray-tracing technology.

The new mods that were created for GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas give fans of the franchise the chance to re-experience the games with modern-day lighting technology. It will also likely be the closest that fans get to playing remastered versions of the Rockstar classics. The developer announced that GTA 5 will receive a remaster for the PS5 and Xbox Series X, which will arrive in 2021, but has never indicated that it will do the same for its older games. Several ray-tracing GTA 5 mods are already available for PC players.

Rockstar has kept silent on GTA 6, instead opting to release new content for GTA Online. The developer recently unveiled GTA Online’s next update, which will take players to new island location for the Cayo Perico Heist. The new DLC was met with somewhat of a mixed response from fans, with some saying that they would like to see Rockstar announce news regarding GTA 6 rather than develop new content for GTA Online.

GTA 5 is available on PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One, with versions of the PS5 and Xbox Series X in development.

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Source: GTARenderHook