GTA: Vice City Stories remains one of the most elusive entries in the Grand Theft Auto saga. Historically restricted to the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2, it never followed in the footsteps of GTA: LCS by transitioning to iOS or Android—let alone receiving an official PC release. While the modding community has frequently attempted to bridge this gap (such as this project), these efforts often stalled in early beta phases or lacked comprehensive features.
Consequently, every serious attempt to bring this title to modern hardware is met with intense anticipation. The developers at White Trash Games began their ambitious porting project in April 2024, finally pulling back the curtain on their progress this February.
Technical Improvements
Built upon the reVC framework, GTA: Vice City Stories — 20th Anniversary Edition is a meticulous reconstruction rather than a simple product of reverse engineering. The developers have emphasized manual craftsmanship, recreating mechanics and visual elements using over a dozen specialized tools without relying on AI generation.
The project aims to deliver a modernized experience through several key enhancements:
- Comprehensive localization support:
- English,
- French,
- German,
- Italian,
- Polish (planned),
- Russian,
- Spanish,
- Ukrainian (planned);
- Smooth 60 FPS performance;
- Upscaled and refined textures;
- Extensive bug fixes and engine optimizations;
- Integrated graphical settings derived from reVC;
- Full support for keyboard/mouse and modern gamepads;
- 30-second instant replay feature;
- Ability to immediately restart failed story missions;
- Functionality to skip cinematic cutscenes and long drives.
Content and Authenticity
The developers intend to include exclusive content previously found only in the PS2 version, alongside “cut” assets discovered within the game files—such as character dialogue triggered during stunt driving. The goal is to provide an authentic Vice City Stories experience without unnecessary additions. The team has already demonstrated significant progress in weapon mechanics, vehicle physics, and various side activities.
Release Timeline
After nearly two years of dedicated work, the project is currently estimated to be approximately 78% complete.
True to its name, the team is targeting October 31st for the release—coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the original game. However, the creators have emphasized that quality takes precedence over deadlines; if the port isn’t polished by October, the launch will be deferred. Following the release, the source code is expected to be made public to allow for community-driven contributions.
Legal Concerns
The project’s rising visibility has inevitably sparked fears regarding potential intervention from Take-Two Interactive. While the debut trailer remains live on YouTube, the shadow of a DMCA takedown persists. However, the developers seem prepared for the challenge, as the nature of the project may make it more difficult for the parent company to target them through traditional legal threats compared to previous reverse-engineering efforts.
Source: gta.com.ua