5 GTA Trilogy DE mistakes that GTA 6 should avoid

GTA Trilogy Definitive Edition (or simply DE) is one of the best examples of untapped potential. Remastering three of the most beloved Grand Theft Auto games —GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas — could have been the perfect gift for long-term fans of the series. It would have also served as an invitation for new fans to understand why the series is so successful today. However, things were quite the opposite.

While the state of these Definitive Edition remasters is now relatively better, Rockstar Games must take notes for its highly anticipated upcoming release. With that said, let's look at five GTA Trilogy DE mistakes that GTA 6 should avoid.

Note - This article is subjective and only reflects the writer's opinions.

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Lacking a distinct atmosphere and 4 other GTA Trilogy DE mistakes that GTA 6 should avoid

1) Buggy launch

Being riddled with game-breaking bugs and glitches at launch was among the biggest problems with GTA Trilogy DE. Although efforts have been made to fix them, the remastered titles still contain issues.

This isn't only a problem with the Definitive Edition, as it has become alarmingly common in other modern video games as well. Hence, Rockstar must take its time with GTA 6 development to ensure it is free from such problems.

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2) Absence of iconic songs

Flash FM is one of GTA Vice City's most popular radio stations (Image via Rockstar Games)

Many iconic songs are missing from GTA Trilogy DE likely because of licensing issues. This may not seem like a major problem, but the soundtrack played a crucial part in setting the tone in the original games, especially in GTA Vice City due to the 1980s setting.

Now that Vice City will be a part of the GTA 6 map, Rockstar must ensure at least some of these songs, like Michael Jackon's Billie Jean, make a return to the playlist. Despite the sequel being set in the modern age, these classic hits can still be featured on a specific radio channel.

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3) Lacking a distinct atmosphere

The Definitive Edition remasters lack the originals' distinct vibes (Image via Rockstar Games)

Each GTA title has a distinct atmosphere that sets it apart from other games. For instance, GTA Vice City's pink and blue hues, and San Andreas' sepia atmosphere stand out. However, these aspects were missing in GTA Trilogy DE to a good extent, particularly in the San Andreas remaster.

It goes without saying that Grand Theft Auto 6 should avoid looking generic and must have unique characteristics in terms of vibe and atmosphere. Thankfully, the kind of colors and lighting seen in the first GTA 6 trailer suggest things are on the right track in this department.

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4) Cartoonish character models

Another area of significant disappointment in GTA Trilogy DE is the character models. For some reason, they look cartoonish, almost like plastic, and lack finesse. In fact, the remastered characters look dead in the eyes and devoid of emotion.

While the GTA 6 trailer has shown the amount of effort that has gone into crafting characters like Lucia and her partner, developers must ensure that even its NPCs look highly detailed and realistic.

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5) Not having multiplayer

GTA Online has periodically received new updates (Image via Rockstar Games)

GTA Trilogy DE could have benefitted from the inclusion of a multiplayer mode. It didn't have to be as grand as GTA Online, but could have let players interact with others in a basic online environment.

Sadly, there is no multiplayer in GTA Trilogy DE and even the co-op mode from GTA San Andreas' PS2 and Xbox versions is absent, which is a mistake that GTA 6 should avoid repeating.

That said, although GTA 6 Online is yet to be officially confirmed, it seems unlikely that Rockstar would not include multiplayer in its latest entry, especially after the massive success of GTA 5 Online.