Right now is the perfect time for a remaster of Grand Theft Auto 4, and if rumors are to be believed, then one could be on the way. It's been just long enough since GTA 4 initially released that any remaster would provide a tangible upgrade over its presentation, as opposed to the multiple GTA 5 remasters that have merely updated its polish and refined minor gameplay aspects. Plus, there's also the possibility of there being another generation of GTA fans who are yet to experience the story of Niko Bellic, which could make for a refreshing change of pace in the wait for the highly anticipated GTA 6.
Grand Theft Auto 4 was one of the most universally beloved games of its generation, with Rockstar crafting a compelling single-player story and following it up with several highly praised DLC packs. However, its successor, GTA 5, has been ruined by constant rereleases that change basically nothing and have only managed to take the shine off Los Santos over multiple console generations. A remaster of GTA 4 would do much to relieve this burnout, while at the same time providing a healthy helping of nostalgia for GTA fans who've been missing Liberty City.
While fans reacted to the recent Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - Definitive Edition with near-universal disdain, GTA 4 won't have as many hurdles to overcome as that remastered trilogy did. It's more recent, so updating it shouldn't be as huge an effort and its aesthetic is more easily preserved with the addition of graphical upgrades. As the one other HD Universe GTA game alongside GTA 5, it would also be great to have both titles playable on one system.
There Have Been Rumors Of A GTA 4 Remaster
A Grand Theft Auto 4 remaster has long been requested by players, so it comes as no surprise that there are rumors of it happening. While most of it is hearsay, an industry insider has claimed that a full remaster of GTA 4 - DLC included -will release in 2023. This is still unconfirmed at the time of writing, but that doesn't mean there isn't a compelling case for Rockstar to remaster GTA 4.
Because of how recent it is compared to the games on the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy collection, remastering Grand Theft Auto 4 would make for a more seamless process. Grand Theft Auto 4 looked outstanding in its day, so a remaster would only need to touch up the textures a bit for current hardware, as opposed to GTA: The Trilogy, which ended up hurting the original games' aesthetics in the leap to HD. Certain gameplay refinements could also be introduced - most obviously when it comes to gunplay and driving - to bring a greater sense of parity between GTA 4 and GTA 5.
Besides that insider rumor, as well as a possible GTA 3 Easter egg teasing a remaster, there's still nothing concrete to confirm that Rockstar is indeed revisiting GTA 4. Similar rumors of a remaster for 2010's Red Dead Redemption have also been doing the rounds online, but the only update Rockstar has provided on projects in 2022 was the confirmation that GTA 6 was in active development. Regardless of that, however, Grand Theft Auto 4 is one of the most beloved games of its time -a a bedrock of the sandbox genre - and right now is the perfect moment to remind players of its greatness.
