After a series of reports, leaks, and rumors, Rockstar Games has officially announced they are working on Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition. This HD upgrade will contain some of the most beloved entries in the already highly regarded series: Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, and San Andreas. All three games are slated to arrive later this year.

Announced via a post on their official website and with a teaser trailer, Rockstar has announced that to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Grand Theft Auto III - the game that the studio themselves said "established Grand Theft Auto as a cultural phenomenon" - the 2001 game and both of its iconic sequels will be coming to current and next-generation platforms. This is the second time that Rockstar has put these games together in a trilogy, releasing Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy back in 2005. This Definitive Edition of the trilogy will include "across-the-board upgrades including graphical improvements and modern gameplay enhancements for all three titles, while still maintaining the classic look and feel of the originals." The studio also confirmed that they will begin removing the existing versions of the game from digital retailers next week.

To carry on the celebration of GTA III's anniversary, Rockstar will also be introducing brand new content inspired by the occasion into GTA Online, which included a tease that players of the massively popular multiplayer game might be in for some surprises, "including the upcoming possibility of some unusual activity occurring in and around Southern San Andreas..." In regards to GTA Online, they also went on to say "later this year, get ready to go on an exciting new adventure in GTA Online as some well-known contacts and familiar friends need your help in expanding their “legit business” — with many more surprises soon to be revealed!"

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Image via Rockstar Games

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While a release date is not yet known for the game, the official date for the 20th birthday of GTA III is October 22nd, so perhaps it will release around then, though it has been reported that the game is aiming for a November release, which would replace the delayed next-gen version of Grand Theft Auto V, which was pushed back from its previously announced release date of November 11th to 2022.

This announcement comes after a year filled with rumors from fans across the internet, a fire that gained a lot of fuel after rumors that the remastered trilogy was in the works back in August. Take-Two, Interactive the parent company of Rockstar Games, also said in an earnings call that they had a number of remakes and remasters in the works. The latest addition to the rumor mill was a new listing for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition in the database of the South Korean rating board GRAC back in late September.

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition will be available PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and on PC via the Rockstar Games Launcher. These versions of the collection are set to release some time in 2021 with mobile ports expected to arrive in the first half of 2022. Watch the announcement trailer for the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition down below.

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