Grand Theft Auto V (GTA 5) is one of Rockstar Games' most ambitious endeavors and still has a dedicated fan base. Despite being nearly a decade old, the game requires mid-high-end hardware to run smoothly.
Rockstar's title was first published for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2013 and was subsequently ported to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
However, a recent Twitter video showed the game running on the PlayStation 2, introduced 13 years before GTA 5's initial release. Players were surprised to see the old console handling the AAA game and shared their responses in the video thread.
GTA 5’s PS2 remaster receives mixed reactions from fans
On February 27, 2023, popular gaming YouTuber Zac Cox (Twitter/ZacCoxTV) tweeted a video of them playing Grand Theft Auto 5 on the PlayStation 2. According to the YouTuber, they remastered the AAA game to run on a modded PS2.
Readers should note that the PlayStation 2 does not officially support the game due to outdated hardware that is incapable of running it. However, Zac Cox modded the game and the console to run it efficiently.
In the above video, readers can see one of GTA 5’s protagonists, Trevor Philips, and his red Canis Bodhi roaming in the wild. The YouTuber also shows the character-switching mechanism by switching to Franklin Clinton, another protagonist in the game.
While the setup shows a PC monitor, keyboard, and a DualShock 2 Analog Controller, the YouTuber defended his claim of playing the game on PlayStation 2 by citing the load time needed to swap characters. They stated,
“You could tell it’s PS2 cause how long it takes to switch over.”
The graphics of the video also seem downgraded and cartoonish. However, many players alleged that Zac Cox used a graphics mod from GTA San Andreas to run the game.
According to user undeadarthurmorgan1 (Twitter/undeadarthur1), the YouTuber used a clip from San Andreas and edited it to look like a modded Grand Theft Auto V gameplay.
Another user, Zidi King (Twitter/ZidiKin82797006), stated that the footage was taken entirely from GTA San Andreas.
A user named ryan (Twitter/ryvvvvvn) shared a video of them playing the game with the same mod used by Zac Cox.
Dempy MP (Twitter/DempyMp) claimed to have played Grand Theft Auto IV with the Robert Overhaul optimization mod, which produced better graphics than the GTA Trilogy Definitive Edition.
Another user, Twitter/CJ15239589, claimed that the PlayStation 2 remaster looks better than the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy remaster.
User Deathwatchperson (Twitter/Deathwatchpers1) requested Rockstar Games to import Grand Theft Auto 5 to the Nintendo DS and Nintendo 64.
Minimum system requirements to play GTA 5 on PC
Grand Theft Auto 5 is a ten-year-old AAA title that still impresses. Although designed for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 hardware, the game has grown in size over time with updates. Currently, the minimum system requirements for playing it on PC are as follows (source: Rockstar Support):
- OS: Windows 7 64-Bit Service Pack 1 and above
- Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz (4 CPUs) / AMD Phenom 9850 Quad-Core Processor (4 CPUs) @ 2.5GHz
- Memory: 4GB
- Video Card: NVIDIA 9800 GT 1GB / AMD HD 4870 1GB (DX 10, 10.1, 11)
- Sound Card: 100% DirectX 10 compatible
- HDD Space: 65GB
However, players are advised to use advanced hardware to run the game smoothly.