GTA Trilogy Definitive Edition Gets Surprise Update on Console and PC, Adds Visual Features That Were Exclusive to Mobile Versions

Rockstar issued a surprise update for GTA Trilogy Definitive Edition today, November 12 — nearly two years since the last one.

GTA Trilogy Definitive Edition, a 2021 compilation of 2001’s Grand Theft Auto 3, 2002’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and 2004’s Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, was heavily criticized upon launch on PC and console. IGN’s GTA Trilogy Definitive Edition review returned a 5/10. We said: “GTA Trilogy Definitive Edition is defective, disappointing, and surprisingly disrespectful to three classic games and their many legions of fans.”

In contrast, the mobile versions of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, released in December last year, met with critical acclaim. Players praised the ports for fixing several issues found on the console and PC versions, including lighting, shadows, reflections, and draw distance. A Rockstar Games blog post published at the time mentioned that these ports include a new classic lighting mode “that restores the look and feel of the sky in the original games.”

Now, finally, this classic lighting option is in Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition on PC and console. Early reports indicate sweeping visual improvements across the board that are already going down well with fans.

The #GTA Definitive Editions just got an update which added the classic lighting option.

Not gonna lie, it actually looks nice on a screen bigger than a phone.

I’ll test now to see if the same problems still exist with it though like they did on mobile a year ago… pic.twitter.com/Qv5J68hYos

— TJGM (@TJGM_) November 12, 2024

I just checked it!
Also they readded the ambient clouds high up in the sky pic.twitter.com/YHBrX6NEUr

— /V@|₹¡0 ßμ†∅†∅ (@MarioButoto99) November 12, 2024

Reports also indicate Grove Street Games, original developer of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, is no longer mentioned in-game. The mobile versions were developed by Video Games Deluxe, the Australian studio behind L.A. Noire VR Case Files.

Looks like mentions of Grove Street Games and their logos have been removed from the splash screen and main menu of the #GTA Definitive Editions as well. pic.twitter.com/ZmXpccyiyS

— TJGM (@TJGM_) November 12, 2024

If you are diving in to GTA 3, GTA Vice City, or GTA San Andreas in the GTA Trilogy, here’s a cheat code refresher for each: GTA San Andreas Cheats, GTA Vice CIty Cheats, and GTA3 Cheats — and how to enter cheats on every platform, including mobile.

It’s a busy time in the world of GTA, with Rockstar continuing work on GTA 6. Parent company Take-Two recently doubled down on GTA 6’s promised fall 2025 release window for what will no doubt be the biggest video game launch of all time.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].