Multiplayer in GTA III (2024)

Grand Theft Auto III Multiplayer was a cut multiplayer feature intended for the PC version of Grand Theft Auto III.

Description[]

WolfRogers: “Hidden away on the PC version of Grand Theft Auto III are menus and listings for Multiplayer, what was supposed to be planned for Grand Theft Auto III and at what point was it removed?”
Rockstar says: “We played around with the idea of multiplayer back then but never got very far with it. At the time, we decided to make Vice City instead of dedicating a big team to multiplayer, as we did not feel it would ever really be good enough. When we finally made a multiplayer game, we wanted it to rival the fun and experience of single player, and this was something not possible until much later.”
— Grand Theft Auto III: Your Questions Answered – Part Two (9/11, The “Ghost Town”, The Dodo and Other Mysteries) (Rockstar Newswire, 5 January 2012)

The multiplayer feature was originally intended to make its return from Grand Theft Auto and Grand Theft Auto 2 to the series' full 3D reboot in Grand Theft Auto III. According to unused UI textures, the now defunct GameSpy provided the multiplayer matchmaking servers for GTA III.

The leftover menu texts lists eight different game types (Deathmatch, Deathmatch Stealth, Team Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch Stealth, Stash the Cash, Capture the Flag, Rat Race and Domination) and eight different maps (Liberty City, Red Light, The Docks, Industrial Park, Chinatown, Staunton, The Tower and The Sewer).

On January 5th, 2012, Rockstar Games commented about the removed feature in a Q&A Newswire article, explaining that Rockstar North developers tried to implement the multiplayer feature at some point during the development of Grand Theft Auto III, but the way it was coded "did not feel it would ever really be good enough". Instead, the developers decided to focus on the game's mission pack (which was shortly after rebranded as a standalone title – Grand Theft Auto: Vice City), instead of dedicating a team within Rockstar North to code the multiplayer feature.

On May 22, 2024, former Rockstar North technical director Obbe Vermeij briefly commented on X.com about the cut multiplayer feature he coded circa 2001.

Game Boy Advance[]

One year after the game's original release, Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive provided the rights to British video game developer Crawfish Interactive to develop a Game Boy Advance port of Grand Theft Auto III.

Four multiplayer modes were originally planned for the handheld game. Crawfish developer Dave Murphy explained, "Yes multiplayer was planned but we probably wouldn't have got it in there, with the time the project running over."

• Liberty City Survivor - Standard death match similar to GTA and GTA 2 on PC.
• City Circuit - Racing on pre-set routes round the three islands.
• Car Jack Crazy - Players race to collect a list of vehicles and return them to their garage.
• Special delivery - All players fight over a package which must be taken to their base.

The whole Game Boy Advance title was eventually cancelled after the studio's closure in November 2002, and rebooted as a handheld exclusive GTA III prequel – Grand Theft Auto Advance, released in 2004.

Leftovers[]

Texts[]

Leftovers of the multiplayer menu can still be found in the american.gxt file for the PC version.

Mutiplayer menu text:

[FEM_MP] MULTIPLAYER[FEF_LAN] LAN[FEF_INT] INTERNET[FEN_CON] Connection[FEN_GAM] Find game[FEN_TY] Game type[FEN_GNA] Game name:[FEN_NAM] Name:[FEN_NCI] NOT CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET[FEN_NET] Network[FEN_PLA] Number of players:[FEN_PLC] Player color[FEN_PLS] Player settings[FEN_UKH] Unknown host[FEN_UKM] Map not found[FEN_UKT] Game type not found[FET_MAP] SELECT MAP

Mutiplayer gamemodes and maps text:

[FEN_TY0] Deathmatch[FEN_TY1] Deathmatch stealth[FEN_TY2] Team Deathmatch[FEN_TY3] Team Deathmatch stealth[FEN_TY4] Stash the Cash[FEN_TY5] Capture the Flag[FEN_TY6] Rat Race[FEN_TY7] Domination[FEM_MA] Liberty City[FEM_MA] RedLight[FEM_MA] Chinatown[FEM_MA] The Tower[FEM_MA] The Sewer[FEM_MA] Industrial Park[FEM_MA] The Docks[FEM_MA] Staunton

In addition, the ped.dat file contains entries for PLAYER1, PLAYER2, PLAYER3 and PLAYER4, suggesting this feature originally supported up to four players.

PLAYER1 2.0 6.0 6.0 0.0 15.0PLAYER2 2.0 6.0 6.0 0.0 15.0PLAYER3 2.0 6.0 6.0 0.0 15.0PLAYER4 2.0 6.0 6.0 0.0 15.0

Maps[]

The following screenshots are from the few multiplayer maps found in the 10th Anniversary Edition, converted by GTA Forums user "Zmey20009" to the PC version ^[2]

Neighborhood Zones[]

For unknown reasons, Grove Street Games (then known as War Drum Studios) left certain multiplayer maps in the game files for the 10th Anniversary Edition of Grand Theft Auto III for mobile devices. Some of the maps, particularly the neighborhood zones, are replicas of their singleplayer counterpart with a few layout alterations to prevent the player from leaving the map during a match. New staircases are placed in alleyways for the players to access certain rooftops.

Liberty City[]

Multiplayer match taking place across the entire Liberty City.

Staunton[]

Multiplayer match taking place in Staunton Island.

The Docks[]

Multiplayer match taking place at the docks, presumably Portland Harbor.

Red Light[]

Multiplayer match taking place in the Red Light District.

Chinatown[]

A replica of Chinatown, adapted for multiplayer matches, with new rooftop access areas.

Dynamic objects used in singleplayer missions are missing from the multiplayer maps, including the doors of Mr. Wong's Laundrette and Bank of Liberty in the Chinatown map. It is unknown whether this was intentional, as Rockstar North developers did not create an interior for the bank for these maps. The empty interior of the bank was created for the bank robbers to stand still inside during the mission The Getaway.

Industrial Park[]

A replica of Pike Creek, adapted for multiplayer matches with new walls, gates and reused Portland buildings to prevent the player from leaving the area. It also features new passageways, barricaded roads and destroyed walls.

The Tower[]

A remodeled version of the Staunton Plaza construction site in Fort Staunton will multiple accessible levels. This map does not include the cutscene scenario used in Asuka Kasen's second string of missions.

The Sewer[]

A complete different area never explored in the singleplayer game. The area consists of a sewer map with a blown-up wall giving access to a bank vault. This map features unique props never seen in the singleplayer game, such as wine racks, coffins, gold bars and dynamite crates.

Video[]

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