5 reasons why GTA Vice City Stories deserves a remaster, not GTA 4

Rockstar Games is rumored to release a remastered game later this year, and GTA Vice City Stories (2006) is one of the titles that deserves it. While some fans are looking forward to a GTA 4 port, Vice City Stories is more important in the current scenario. Since we are heading to Vice City in 2026, Rockstar should consider popularizing the previous Vice City-based games.

We list five reasons why GTA Vice City Stories should get a remaster as soon as possible.

Note: This article is subjective and only reflects the writer’s opinions.

5 solid reasons why Rockstar Games should remaster GTA Vice City Stories

1) To revive Vice City’s lore

Vice City Stories has a lot to tell about the map (Image via Rockstar Games)

The City of Vice is gradually becoming the talk of the town again as we are heading back to it in GTA 6. GTA Vice City Stories is the prequel to GTA Vice City, where it unfolds many secrets about the location.

However, the 2006 title is not very popular among modern gamers. Therefore, to revive Vice City’s lore, Rockstar should release a remaster before GTA 6.

2) Not available on modern gaming platforms

Vice City Stories is missing from many modern gaming platforms, including PC. Even though Windows users can play it with an emulator, having an official port is a better option. As of May 2025, the title is playable only on the following platforms:

PlayStation Portable
PlayStation VIta
PlayStation 2
PlayStation 3

Since there are many reasons to play GTA Vice City Stories in 2025, Rockstar should port it to modern platforms.

3) To add it to the GTA Plus library

The GTA Plus membership gives you free access to various old titles from Rockstar Games, which makes it a somewhat better investment. While Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories and many others have already made it to the free games list, GTA Vice City Stories is still missing in May 2025.

The game’s availability on a limited number of platforms could be one of the reasons behind it. Therefore, Rockstar should remaster GTA Vice City Stories to modern platforms and include it in the GTA Plus subscription. This will not only make the subscription popular, but new fans will also get to know about the game.

4) To offer another multiplayer game for fans

Many players may not know this, but GTA Vice City Stories includes a multiplayer mode on the PlayStation Portable. It has 10 game modes where up to six local players can participate. Considering the popularity of GTA Online, fans would love to try another multiplayer game with a new map.

Therefore, Rockstar should remaster Vice City Stories for new gaming platforms and also include the multiplayer mode with it. However, instead of local players, the new mode should be playable through the internet.

5) To make the gameplay suitable for modern gamers

Rockstar should change the controls for the game (Image via Rockstar Games)

The controls of GTA Vice City Stories are old, and modern gamers may find them difficult to operate. Rockstar should remaster the title with new control options and also include QoL changes similar to the GTA Trilogy remastered version.

New controls, GPS navigation, weapon wheel, radio wheel, etc., will surely make the gameplay more enjoyable and suitable for new-age gamers.

Check out some more GTA content:

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.

Know More

Edited by Abu Amjad Khan