It’s been two decades since Rockstar Games unleashed Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and it’s remarkable how this game has not only stood the test of time but also continues to reveal fascinating stories behind its development. A recent post by Obbe Vermeij, one of the original programmers of the game, sheds light on a critical decision that fundamentally shaped San Andreas: the choice to unify its sprawling world.
The Ambitious Plan for Three Cities
Released on October 26, 2004, GTA: San Andreas was groundbreaking in its ambition. Players took on the role of Carl “CJ” Johnson and explored three distinct cities: Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas. Each city was modeled after real-life counterparts Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas, offering a depth and variety of environments that few games had dared to attempt on the PlayStation 2.
As Vermeij revealed in his social media post, the original plan was very different. The team initially designed these cities to be on separate maps, meaning players would travel between them by trains or planes. The structure would be similar to the first two GTA games, where cities were distinct and didn’t connect in real-time.
Why Separate Maps? The Technical Challenges on the PS2
The PS2 was an innovative console for its time, but it had its limitations—particularly with memory. A single, massive map might push the console to its limits, risking performance and possibly even compromising gameplay. By keeping the cities separate, the developers could better manage memory and implement unique features for each area. Vermeij highlighted several benefits of the separate-map approach:
Distinct Elements per City: Each city could have unique police, ambulance, and firetruck designs, pickups, and even weather.
Memory Management: Only the necessary skyline models for each city would need to be loaded, helping the game run smoother on the PS2.
Controlled Progression: Developers could contain players within one city until it was time to advance to the next, creating a structured gameplay flow.
A Last-Minute Change
As development was underway, however, a final meeting between key figures at Rockstar North—including Vermeij, producer Leslie Benzies, art director Aaron Garbut, tech director Adam Fowler, and programmer Alexander Roger—changed everything. They scrapped the idea of separate maps, opting instead to create one large, interconnected world.
This decision redefined San Andreas, making it an unprecedented achievement in open-world gaming. It meant that, for the first time in the series, players could drive from one city to another seamlessly, giving the game a much more cohesive and immersive experience.
The Legacy of a Single, Seamless World
Merging all three cities into one massive map wasn’t without its challenges. To compensate for the PS2’s memory constraints, the team used techniques like strategic layers of fog to simulate depth and create the illusion of distance, adding a characteristic atmospheric element to the game. Despite the constraints, they still managed to give each city its unique flavor, from police vehicles to weather effects, enriching the world’s diversity.
The result was a game that didn’t just push technical boundaries but also set new standards for open-world gaming, ultimately influencing future titles in the genre. This decision helped solidify GTA: San Andreas as a milestone in gaming history—a title that felt like a living, breathing world where you could lose yourself for hours.
Celebrating 20 Years of San Andreas*
Twenty years later, GTA: San Andreas remains one of the most celebrated games in the industry, and fans are still learning new things about its development. It’s a testament to Rockstar’s dedication to innovation and their willingness to take risks—even in the final hours—that has kept the game relevant and beloved decades after its release.
As we look back, we can only appreciate how the decision to unify San Andreas’ world paved the way for the open-world epics we enjoy today. Here’s to 20 years of San Andreas—and to many more stories waiting to be told.