Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition is on its way. This rerelease is actually a first for Rockstar Games. Rather than porting the games like it used to, Rockstar fully revamped a trio of beloved games that put the company on the map and made it live up to its name.
Rockstar Games is often synonymous with Grand Theft Auto, and to a lesser extent, Red Dead Redemption, to the public eye. However, the studio’s library of games is rich and surprisingly diverse despite the company’s signature style frequently popping up. That being said, if Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition is successful, and, considering which games are being remastered, it most likely will, it brings about the opportunity for Rockstar to remaster other series it's known for.
Other Beloved Rockstar Games
There are several Rockstar games that, while not as big in player numbers as Grand Theft Auto, have a respectably large fanbase that continuously calls for more attention from the developer. Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition will open an already vast can of worms. However, bringing back Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City, and San Andreas is both weird and logical. The Grand Theft Auto remasters will bring some improvements to titles that are at least two console generations older.
Strangely, one Rockstar game that was never ported to PC is the original Red Dead Redemption. The game got plenty of support through DLC like Undead Nightmare and Microsoft eventually included it as one of the titles that can be played on the recent Xbox consoles’ backward compatibility features. Unfortunately, the game was only officially released once, over a decade ago. If remastering old games becomes a trend at Rockstar, the original Red Dead Redemption might finally become officially playable on modern systems.
Red Dead Redemption is not the only game that deserves some love from its creators. Several non-GTA and Red Dead games by Rockstar have yet to be forgotten by fans despite the studio focusing on its two most successful IPs. There is a demand for a more diverse selection of Rockstar titles in the modern age, and even though Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition takes advantage of Grand Theft Auto 3’s 20th anniversary, the remasters are likely meant to be fanservice as well.
One set of games that Rockstar could definitely remaster is Max Payne. Introduced to the world around the same time Grand Theft Auto became one of gaming’s most famous franchises, the series is notorious not for any raunchy or violent content, but for its noir storytelling. Part of the appeal of Max Payne was how much of a departure it was from Rockstar’s established irreverent identity. It was capable of being action-packed and a tearjerker at the same time. The original Max Payne was also criticized for its character models, and a remastered version is a perfect opportunity to polish the visuals and make the world more immersive.
Some Rockstar titles never got lucky enough to spawn a sequel like Red Dead Redemption, let alone a trilogy like Max Payne. L.A. Noire is one of those games, despite its success. The game was an ambitious detective game with realistic facial expressions that were heavily promoted. Nowadays, it's stuck in limbo. It remains the sole entry under its name, and Rockstar hasn't been openly interested in turning the game into a series.
Despite this, the company seems to value the game and considers it one of its iconic titles. On the official Rockstar website, L.A. Noire is listed before any game that isn’t a Grand Theft Auto game or Red Dead Redemption 2, including the original Red Dead, Bully, and the aforementioned Max Payne. Strange treatment aside, L.A. Noire is another perfect game to revisit if Rockstar were to consider doing other remasters. Perhaps such a project will even spawn a continuation of the original game.
Revisiting History with Manhunt and Bully
Back in the day, Rockstar was at the center of gaming controversies, to the point where it might as well have been part of their games’ collective identity. When violent games like Mortal Kombat and Doom prompted media discussions, Rockstar so much as cultivated outrage. When the industry moved on in the 21st century, Rockstar's games provoked people even further. By remastering certain titles that particularly irked distraught people, which is what they’re already doing with Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition, Rockstar can reintroduce important parts of gaming history, and specifically 2000s gaming culture, to audiences worldwide. Games like Manhunt and Bully, which were released when Rockstar's controversies were at their peak, are the perfect games to remaster from a historical perspective.
Bringing back games of its past, let alone remastering them, could only be a good thing for Rockstar. Today’s culture, and not just in the world of video games, is obsessed with remasters, reboots, and remakes. Nostalgia is being powerfully exploited by all arts and entertainment industries. Frankly, it is shocking that Rockstar is only taking advantage of this trend now, especially since its games are frequently the targets of speculation, like a potential Bully 2 being made.
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition has the potential to be something big. It’s not the first time these games will be re-released, but they are the first properly remasters Rockstar has ever made unless you count Bully’s updated rerelease. It might make Rockstar realize that their fans are not exclusively loyal to Grand Theft Auto, and allow them to remind people of their library that can even target demographics other than adults at times, like Midnight Club and Table Tennis.
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition launches November 11 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S with mobile versions also in development.