CJ from GTA San Andreas playable in Marvel Rivals: Here's how to do it

GTA San Andreas
You can now play as CJ from GTA San Andreas in Marvel Rivals (Image via Rockstar Games)

While it’s been only a month since the release of Marvel Rivals, CJ from GTA San Andreas has already made his way into the multiplayer game. PC modders have been quick to bring the popular GTA protagonist into the new title and make him a playable character. That said, the gameplay looks hilarious considering Carl “CJ” Johnson does not belong to the Marvel Universe.

This article explains how to install the GTA San Andreas character's mods in Marvel Rivals.

Disclaimer: The writer cannot be claimed responsible for any issues caused by the mod in the game.


Steps to install CJ from GTA San Andreas in Marvel Rivals

First, you need to download the CJ as Winter Soldier mod from Nexus Mods. As the name suggests, it replaces Winter Soldier’s character model with Carl “CJ” Johnson from GTA San Andreas. Keep in mind that this will only change the visual aspect and other gameplay-related features will be the same as the original character.

Once you have downloaded the GTA San Andreas mod, follow these steps:

  1. Extract the downloaded .zip file and look for the .pak file inside the folder.
  2. Open the game directory of Marvel Rivals.
  3. Navigate through the folders as directed: MarvelGame > Marvel > Content > Paks.
  4. Create a folder named ‘~mods’ inside the Paks folder.
  5. Copy the .pak file from the CJ as Winter Soldier folder and paste it inside the ~mods folder.
  6. Once done, run the game as usual.

Also read: Biggest features of GTA 5 Liberty City mod

Readers should note that similar to Carl “CJ” Johnson, Melvin Harris and Big Smoke from GTA San Andreas can also be brought to Marvel Rivals as playable characters. To do so, you will have to download the Big Smoke as The Punisher mod from the Nexus Mods website. Thereafter, the process is the same as above.

Before modding these popular San Andreas characters in Marvel Rivals, players are advised to create a backup of their gameplay. This is because if any error occurs during the modding process, you may have to redownload the entire game.

Also read: Best GTA 5 mods to try in 2025


How to play GTA San Andreas in 2025

Gamers can still buy and play San Andreas in 2025, although the original version is no longer available. The studio released San Andreas Definitive Edition in November 2021: this is the only version that you can currently purchase. It is part of the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition, and is available on the following platforms:

  • PlayStation 5
  • PlayStation 4
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Xbox One
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • iOS
  • Android

However, if you own the original version of the game, you can still play it on supported platforms.

Also read: GTA 3 Dreamcast port

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Edited by Dinesh Renthlei
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