GTA 3 Returns to Where It Started. Fan Conversion to Dreamcast is Impressive
Fans succeeded in porting Grand Theft Auto 3 to the Dreamcast console. This is a return to the roots, as initially, Rockstar studio developed this classic precisely with the Sega platform in mind.
Many older fans of the Grand Theft Auto series know that initially GTA 3 was being developed with the Dreamcast console in mind, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. Eventually, Rockstar Games abandoned this platform and the game was released on PlayStation 2. Now, a group of fans is slowly finishing their own conversion of this classic game for the Sega platform.
- Obbe Vermeij, a former Rockstar employee, explained that during the first months of development, GTA 3 was originally intended for the Dreamcast. The decision to switch to PS2 was ultimately made for commercial reasons, but at the time, the developers were also convinced that Sega's console wouldn't be capable of handling the game in the version that eventually launched on the market in 2001.
- However, fans have proven that this isn't impossible at all, as shown in the video material below from this unofficial conversion released to celebrate the upcoming 25th anniversary of the game.
The footage was captured in GTA 3 running on an actual Dreamcast. The project, despite being in the early stages, is impressive. The game maintains a steady 30 frames per second and includes most of the visual effects known from the PS2 release. The devs still have a lot of work to do (for example, they need to fix the flickering interface), but the game is already playable.
Grand Theft Auto 3 was one of those games that ensured the dominance of PlayStation 2 in the market. Although the title was released at the end of October, it became the biggest bestseller of 2001. Furthermore, it came in second place in 2002 solely because it was surpassed by its sequel, Vice City.
Looking back, it's evident that Rockstar made the right choice to switch to PS2. Sega announced the abandonment of Dreamcast in January 2001, so GTA 3 never had a chance to save this console.
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