A former Rockstar Games veteran, Obbe Vermeij, has weighed in on the swirling rumors about a potential re-release of Grand Theft Auto IV for the latest generation of consoles. Vermeij, who served as a technical director at Rockstar from 1995 to 2009 and contributed to GTA IV, expressed his belief that the game "should be remastered." He emphasized its enduring quality and the success of recent remasters like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, suggesting that an updated version of GTA IV would be a welcome addition to the gaming landscape. Vermeij also praised the game's protagonist, Niko Bellic, as the best in any GTA title.

The rumor mill began churning after a post from Tez2, a well-known leaker within the GTA community, who hinted that a GTA IV port for modern systems might be on the horizon this year. This speculation was linked to Rockstar's recent decision to shut down a GTA V Liberty City mod. However, it's crucial to note that Rockstar has not officially announced any plans to remaster or re-release GTA IV. Given the company's intense focus on developing GTA VI, a GTA IV re-release would be unexpected.

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Vermeij speculated that if a remaster were to happen, Rockstar might consider porting GTA IV to the latest version of the Rage engine, the platform used for their game development. However, without official confirmation from Rockstar, these remain mere speculations. The development of GTA VI is a monumental task, and taking on a GTA IV remaster simultaneously could stretch even Rockstar's vast resources too thin.

Rockstar could potentially outsource the project to an external studio, similar to their approach with the Red Dead Redemption port. Yet, timing a GTA IV re-release in 2025, coinciding with the projected launch window of GTA VI, seems unlikely. Releasing both games in the same timeframe might split the audience's attention away from the highly anticipated GTA VI.

Some fans speculate that Liberty City, the setting for GTA IV and based on New York City, might make an appearance in GTA VI, either at launch or as post-launch DLC. GTA VI is set in the fictional state of Leonida, which mirrors Florida and includes Vice City, Rockstar's rendition of Miami.

As we await further news, there's plenty more to explore about GTA VI, including detailed insights, 70 new screenshots, and expert analyses on how the game might perform on the PS5 Pro.