A former Rockstar Games technical director has weighed in on recent rumors suggesting a potential re-release of Grand Theft Auto IV for modern consoles, stating that the title “should be remastered.”
The speculation originated from Tez2, a known figure in the GTA community for sharing credible leaks about Rockstar’s projects. He claimed that a GTA 4 port could arrive this year, possibly explaining why Rockstar recently took action against a GTA 5 Liberty City mod. However, it’s important to note that Rockstar has made no official announcement regarding a GTA 4 re-release, and such a move would come as a surprise given the studio’s full focus on the upcoming GTA 6.
Every Celebrity in GTA 4
View 26 Images
Obbe Vermeij, who served as a technical director at Rockstar from 1995 to 2009 and contributed to GTA 4, responded to social media inquiries about the rumors. While he confirmed he hadn’t heard any official news, he expressed strong support for a remaster.
“It's a great game and there have been a number of successful remasters recently,” Vermeij noted, likely referencing titles like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. “I would like to see it updated,” he added in a follow-up post. “Niko is still the best protagonist in any GTA game I think.”
When it comes to how a remaster might be executed, Vermeij suggested that Rockstar could leverage the latest version of its proprietary RAGE engine—the same technology powering its modern titles—to bring GTA 4 up to current standards with improved visuals, performance, and controller support.
Despite the enthusiasm, there remains no confirmation from Rockstar about any such project. With *GTA 6* representing one of the most ambitious developments in the studio’s history, launching a *GTA 4* remaster simultaneously seems unlikely. Even with extensive resources, prioritizing both projects could stretch the team too thin.That said, Rockstar has previously outsourced ports to external studios, as seen with the Red Dead Redemption remaster handled by Double Eleven. A similar approach could make a GTA 4 remaster feasible—though timing remains a key concern. With GTA 6 currently slated for a fall 2025 release, launching a GTA 4 remaster in the same window could risk overshadowing its next major title.
Meanwhile, some fans speculate that Liberty City—the iconic setting of GTA 4 and a reimagined version of New York—might make an appearance in GTA 6, either at launch or through post-launch content. While GTA 6 is primarily set in the fictional state of Leonida (inspired by Florida) and includes Vice City (a stand-in for Miami), the possibility of revisiting Liberty City continues to fuel fan excitement.
As we await further details, stay tuned for ongoing coverage of GTA 6, including all confirmed information, a collection of 70 new screenshots, and expert analysis of how the game will perform on PS5 Pro.
