Rockstar’s fiddling with GTA The Trilogy is unfortunately a part of history much of what the video game industry is today. Half-baked title launches, broken promises, studios closing down after failed launches (because of them), users laughing at studios and distributors… it’s a shame, but that’s who we are. What’s not so common is for the studio to show the same lack of respect that has become common towards the users of the games that made the studio what it is today.

The story of GTA The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is for many an example of how not to manage startup. Since its introduction in 2021, expectations have been very high. Three legendary titles that made a mark in the history of video games before and after will return with updated graphics and modern controls. However, gamers received a collection riddled with technical glitches, questionable visual decisions, and a lack of attention to detail that set off an avalanche of criticism. Rockstar had to temporarily pull the PC version and even put the original classic editions back on sale to calm the discontent. Trilogy soon came back (almost as bad) and shortly after that we had to participate in what was intended as an apology but was really just another lack of respect for the users.

Despite several updates released in the following years, public perception hasn’t changed much. The recent November 2024 update, which introduced a classic lighting option to recapture some of the visual spirit of the originals, seemed like a step in the right direction. However, this patch brought with it an unexpected controversy: lRemoving all references to Grove Street Games, the studio behind these remasters.

Grove Street Games were so salty that Rockstar removed them from the GTA Trilogy credits they stopped watching 💀 pic.twitter.com/GfX1TDPSnf

— Liam (@billsyliamgta) November 13, 2024

Grove Street Games was quick to respond, removing Rockstar from their social media and marking a disassociation, which many interpret as a professional breakup. The move, although without official statements from either party, reflects the tense situation between the studio, which has not lived up to the expectations of one of the most iconic franchises in the sector.

What GTA The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition leaves behind is the inevitable question: who was really to blame for this disaster? It was Grove Street Games, as those directly responsible for the development, who couldn’t match it? Or was it Rockstar who should have used their experience and resources to oversee and ensure a quality product? In an industry where the rush to meet commercial deadlines often outweighs the quality of the final product, these types of mistakes appear to be a mixture of poorly planned decisions from different levels. And while users try to enjoy the era-defining trilogy, the feeling that everything could have been done much better, or at least not so terribly wrong, remains unavoidable.

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