Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition News

Rockstar announces access to "rotating assortment" of iconic GTA games

Grand Theft Auto has long stood the test of time as one of the most iconic game series ever. Rockstar Games' long-lasting line of city-based criminal activity-focused experiences has just evolved even further with the company's new GTA+ subscription membership benefits. The developer just announced that all players subscribed will have access to a steadily changing selection of classic Grand Theft Auto games, from beloved entries like San Andreas to Vice City.

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Rockstar loses another one of its key writers

Michael Unsworth, vice president of writing at Rockstar Games, has seemingly left the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption developer.

As spotted by GTAForums user Rucke, and shared by Rockstar Games new account SWEGTA, Unsworth recently updated his LinkedIn page indicating that he was no longer with the developer. There's no indication on his profile as to what he's doing next, and neither he nor Rockstar has shared why he decided to leave. Unsworth has been with Rockstar for 16 years, starting as a senior creative writer in 2007, later going on to become writing director in 2019, before spending the past two years as the company's vice president of writing.

His credits include a big range of the developer's catalogue, including Grand Theft Auto 4, Red Dead Redemption, Grand Theft Auto 5, Max Payne 3, LA Noire, and most recently Red Dead Redemption 2. It's unclear at this point in time if he will be credited for any writing on GTA 6, or even if he has done any for it, as it's not currently listed in his writing credits.

Grand Theft Auto 4 seemed to catch people off guard. When it was released in 2008, the Rockstar sandbox game was a broad departure from the wacky, playground style of GTA San Andreas. You couldn't go to the gym. You couldn't steal a fighter plane. There were no jet packs. But over time, with the emergence of Red Dead Redemption and, moreover, RDR2, Grand Theft Auto 4's more somber, sober approach has become more appreciated. With the GTA 6 release date on its way, and perhaps a little fatigue setting in after more than ten years of Grand Theft Auto 5, the best, bravest, and most well-told GTA Rockstar ever made is worth replaying - especially for the low price of less than $6, courtesy of a new Steam sale.

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Red Dead Redemption and GTA4 remasters reportedly scrapped after GTA Trilogy debacle

Rockstar have reportedly shelved plans for remasters of Red Dead Redemption and GTAIV after the poor reception of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition. The trilogy, which released late last year, was a technical disaster and heavily criticised despite high sales.

Game Informer’s Blake Hester published a detailed report all about the Bully 2 that might have been and what led to the studio developing the sequel’s downfall. In short, Rockstar New England was pulled in multiple directions to the point where Bully 2 was no longer the focus of the developers who worked there.

Rockstar New England, which was purchased by Rockstar when the former was Mad Doc Software and was responsible for the next-gen remaster of the first Bully at the time, had ambitious plans for the sequel, a bigger, more characterized game that could stand alongside L.A. Noire and Grand Theft Auto 4 as a grand tentpole release worthy of the Rockstar name.

It was not to be, though, as the studio got pulled in multiple directions, called on to assist with projects like Red Dead Redemption and Max Payne 3 and immersed in the crunch culture that came with working on those games. This caused many developers at Rockstar New England to leave, but the studio was also hit with layoffs, ensuring that Bully 2 wouldn’t see the light of day. It’s a shame, too, because the game was “six to eight hours playable”, though not shippable at that point.