5 lesser-known facts about the GTA 3 map that might surprise you

Despite being nearly 24 years old, the GTA 3 map is still one of the best open worlds in the genre. It was Rockstar Games’ first 3D and truly immersive gaming map that set the course of the series. The GTA 3 map is loosely based on real-life New York City, there are many details and Easter eggs that you can find in it.

This article lists five lesser-known facts about the GTA 3 map that you may find fascinating.

Note: This article contains the personal and subjective opinions of the writer.

5 interesting facts about the GTA 3 map that you should know

1) Reference to Vice City

Rockstar loves to tease upcoming projects in its games (Image via Rockstar Games)

Almost all GTA series games have teased their successors indirectly, and the 2001 title is also no exception. The GTA 3 map has a billboard that reads “See you in Miami!” in blue and pink color tones.

One year later, Rockstar Games released GTA Vice City, which was based on real-life Miami, Florida.

2) 911 impacted the game

The 911 attacks greatly impacted the Grand Theft Auto 3 gameplay. Rockstar Games had to postpone the game’s release and also change many elements so that it catered to the sensitive atmosphere of that time. Since the GTA 3 map is based on New York, Rockstar changed the police car designs and made the Francis International airport have no solid walls.

The developer also removed a mission, changed the path of the flying planes, removed radio and NPC dialogs, and made many other minor changes.

Also read: GTA 3 dev reveals how the traffic lights worked in the game

3) Rockstar planned to include multiplayer maps

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Rockstar Games suffered a leak in December 2024, and it disclosed many interesting details about Grand Theft Auto 3. As per the leaks, the GTA 3 map (at least on the mobile version) was supposed to have a multiplayer mode with new areas. Data miners discovered five multiplayer maps that are yet to be added to the game.

While many fans were aware that the 2001 title was planned to have a multiplayer mode, the December 2024 leaks showed the unused GTA 3 maps that were hidden for ages.

4) Rockstar boss appears as an NPC

The current Rockstar Games President, Sam Houser, appears as an NPC in GTA 3. The shopkeepers at the Ammu-Nation stores around the map are modeled after him. Interestingly, the NPC’s name is also Sam in the game.

If you visit Sam and scare him, he will attack you with a Shotgun. Such kind of funny Easter eggs and references make GTA 3 popular among fans. While the character model is based on Sam Houser, the source of his voice is unknown to date.

5) There is a ghost town up north

The ghost town remains hidden from regular Grand Theft Auto 3 players (Image via Rockstar Games)

If you fly a plane towards the north of the GTA 3 map, you can find a ghost town with weird location names. While the open world of Grand Theft Auto 3 was already big for its time, the developers decided to hide a new area for eagle-eyed players.

You can find Obbeburgh, Aaronsville, Woodcunty, Les County, Garystown, and many other locations in the ghost town. These are believed to be named after various developers of the game.

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About the author

Mridul completed his post-graduation in Mass Communication, Journalism, and Media Studies. His career as a journalist began at Sportskeeda, and he has been associated with the Esports & Gaming division for over 1.5 years. He has produced 1600+ articles on Grand Theft Auto, his favorite gaming franchise of all time.

Mridul writes detailed and well-researched articles, relying solely on official sources and reputable insiders for credible information. His immense love for the GTA series shines through in his work, which resonates with readers, with five of his articles having crossed the 100,000 reads mark each. Overall, his reads count stands at close to 8 million.

GTA: Vice City served as Mridul's introduction to Rockstar Games, and he has dedicatedly made his way through the publisher's catalog since then. If given a chance, he would love to drop into the world of Bully and relive his school days. However, he would like to recommend Grand Theft Auto 4 to beginners due to the depth of its narrative and in-game mechanics.

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Edited by Ashmita Bhatt