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

A former Rockstar veteran has weighed in on swirling rumors that a re-release of *Grand Theft Auto IV* (GTA 4) for the latest generation of consoles could be on the horizon, stating that the game should indeed be remastered. This buzz began with a post from Tez2, a well-known figure in the GTA community for leaking Rockstar information. Tez2 hinted that a modern port of GTA 4 might be released this year, citing this as a potential reason behind Rockstar's recent decision to shut down a GTA 5 Liberty City Mod. However, it's crucial to emphasize that Rockstar has not confirmed any plans to re-release GTA 4, and such a move would be quite unexpected given their current focus on *Grand Theft Auto VI* (GTA 6).

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Obbe Vermeij, a former technical director at Rockstar Games who worked there from 1995 to 2009, responded to queries about the GTA 4 rumors on social media. Although unaware of these specific rumors, Vermeij, who contributed to GTA 4, expressed that the game "should be remastered." He highlighted its greatness and noted the recent success of other remasters, such as *The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered*. In another post, Vermeij shared his enthusiasm for an updated version of the game, praising Niko Bellic as the best protagonist in any GTA game.

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

However, it's important to reiterate that Rockstar has given no indication of plans to remaster GTA 4. The studio is deeply invested in the monumental task of developing GTA 6, and taking on a GTA 4 remaster amidst this could be beyond their current scope, despite their extensive resources. Rockstar might consider having an external studio handle the port, similar to their approach with *Red Dead Redemption*. Yet, the timing of a GTA 4 re-release in 2025 seems off, especially with GTA 6's planned fall 2025 launch. Launching a remaster so close to GTA 6 could split the audience's attention away from what is poised to be a major event.

Meanwhile, some GTA enthusiasts speculate that Liberty City, the series' rendition of New York City featured in GTA 4 and *GTA: Chinatown Wars*, might make an appearance in GTA 6 either at launch or as post-launch DLC. GTA 6 is set in the fictional state of Leonida, encompassing Vice City, their take on Miami.

As we await further news, there's plenty more to explore about GTA 6, including detailed information we've uncovered so far, a gallery of 70 new screenshots, and expert analysis on how GTA 6 might perform on the PS5 Pro.