GTA mobile games remastered in Trilogy instead of PC games, claims new report

Some fans might care to hear that the GTA Trilogy is based on "highly modified mobile ports" rather than a console or PC port.

There is actually some valid evidence suggesting that it isn't a conspiracy theory, either. It doesn't necessarily make the GTA Trilogy bad, but it does explain some of its differences from the original games.

Some examples are hidden from the player's view, while others are more readily apparent. Either way, it gives credibility to the notion that the GTA Trilogy is apparently a modified mobile port.

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The GTA Trilogy is a modified mobile port, rather than PC games: A theory with credible evidence

Vadim M is a dataminer who has looked through the GTA Trilogy's code extensively. His Twitter account is a goldmine for any player wondering about details they wouldn't be privy to otherwise. One of those details includes a widget associated with the mobile ports.

Naturally, the current version of the GTA Trilogy doesn't use these touch screen controls. It will be released for mobile sometime in the future, but that wouldn't be a proper explanation for why it's in these versions of the GTA Trilogy.

The above Tweet showcases the old widget, and it's worth noting that the two screenshots do feature some differences in how the text looks. Otherwise, the icons and text content are identical.

Something similar happened in the PS3 port of GTA San Andreas, so its appearance in the GTA Trilogy isn't surprising. Despite that, the GTA Trilogy also showcases other examples of being a modified mobile port of the original games.

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Looking at other examples

How players work out in the GTA Trilogy version (Image via Rockstar Games)

Players don't need to look at the game's code to notice that it's based on a mobile port. For example, take a look at the above screenshot. There is a meter on the left side, and players need to "lift" when it hits the small green rectangle.

The mobile version of GTA San Andreas (Image via Rockstar Games)

The above screenshot comes from the original mobile port of GTA San Andreas. The left meter is identical to the one in the GTA Trilogy. However, it's worth mentioning that this meter was not present in the original console and PC versions.

How it originally looked on PC (Image via Rockstar Games)

The most glaringly obvious difference is the lack of a meter on the left side. Instead, there is a small bar near "POWER," which the player can raise by spamming the relevant button associated with lifting the dumbbells. The mechanics are entirely different.

The GTA Trilogy does not use this method, making it clear that the games are based on their mobile ports, not their original versions.

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Grove Street Games and the old mobile ports

A random screenshot of the mobile version of San Andreas (Image via Rockstar Games)

War Drums Studios LLC was the old name of Grove Street Games. If the name sounds familiar, it's because they worked on the mobile ports for GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas. The vast majority of their work is tied to mobile games, so it shouldn't be surprising for players to see old mobile elements in the GTA Trilogy.

They also ported GTA San Andreas to the PS3, which is why the old mobile widget is still in that version of the game.

Note: The article reflects the views of the writer.