Should Rockstar work towards a GTA San Andreas remaster in 2021?

While fans have long awaited a GTA San Andreas remaster, recent and past developments with Rockstar Games suggest it's not a feasible option.

Since the 2004 release of this legendary GTA title, older fans have been wanting it to be updated with more modern features. While the gameplay is still enjoyable, GTA San Andreas could use a slight makeover in the graphics department.

It's easy to say that an AAA company like Rockstar Games should work on a remastered GTA San Andreas. After all, it's become a modern trend for old-school games, especially in recent years. However, it's not that simple. There are several factors that should be taken into consideration for a 2021 remaster to be practical.

GTA San Andreas fans would appreciate the incorporation of the new into the old

GTA San Andreas fans fondly remember what a big deal the game was at the time of launch. With a variety of activities and interactive missions, it was an open-world experience like no other. These fans would love to relive their childhood with a completely remastered game.

If GTA San Andreas uses the same engine as the enhanced GTA 5, it would significantly improve the combat situations. For example, the Gray Imports mission could have CJ take cover behind crates while he shoots down enemies.

However, it's not as easy as that. Remasters require more than the bare minimum. A remastered title like GTA San Andreas would have to be ambitious since fans would never settle for any less.

Potential hardships and difficulties of a remaster

More often than not, remasters only scratch the surface of updated content. They rarely build the game from the ground up since it's a time-consuming process that costs money. Most of the focus goes to fixing a few bugs, upgrading the graphics, and improving the framerate and resolution.

It's very unlikely that Rockstar will go above and beyond for a remaster. Not only does history show that they rarely do that, but there are also potential issues to consider. For example, music licenses can expire and force the company to remove memorable songs. Fans of the original soundtrack might not like these decisions.

Cost-effective measures

One of the biggest obstacles when it comes to developing a full-on remaster is Rockstar's own perfectionism.

Rockstar will undoubtedly pay very close attention to detail (such as city landscapes), and this will require an entire development team. However, the time and effort required to achieve a detailed world might simply not be worth it for the company.

Arguments for or against a remaster also need to take into account the cost-effectiveness. Rockstar have put a lot of effort into the main games. While they can easily do so for a side project, they might prefer to conserve their resources elsewhere, such as GTA Online.

History of porting disasters for San Andreas

Needless to say, previous attempts at a GTA San Andreas remaster did not go over well with the fanbase.

When GTA San Andreas was ported over to the PS3 and Xbox 360, Rockstar handed over responsibility to War Drum Studios. What fans got was a glitchy mess that was nearly unplayable from start to finish.

Beyond graphical bugs that hindered gameplay, cut-scenes would sometimes freeze the game and force a reset. Character models were also overly shiny with weird body proportions.

Fans were better off getting a PS2 and playing the original.

Rockstar should only consider a remaster if they're serious

A remastered GTA San Andreas should be within the realm of possibility. However, Rockstar reportedly already have their development team working on GTA 6. They are more likely to outsource a remastered GTA San Andreas to another company.

If there should be a remaster, however, Rockstar need to commit to it 100%. They should not even bother trying if it ends up like the PS3/Xbox 360 versions.

Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.