The game is played from athird-person perspective and its world is navigated on foot or by vehicle. Theopen world design lets the player freely roam San Andreas, consisting of three major metropolitan cities: Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas, based onLos Angeles,San Francisco, andLas Vegas, respectively. Rockstar conducted on-site research in each city and consulted Los Angeles nativesDJ Pooh,Estevan Oriol, andMister Cartoon for help imitating the city's culture. The narrative is based on multiple real-life events in Los Angeles, including theBloods andCrips street gang rivalry, the1990s crack epidemic, the1992 Los Angeles riots, and theRampart scandal. The 75-person development team spent nearly two years creating the game.San Andreas was released in October 2004 for thePlayStation 2.
The game received critical acclaim for its characters, narrative, open world design, and visual fidelity, but mixed responses towards its mission design, technical issues, and portrayal of race. It generated controversy when the hidden "Hot Coffee" sexminigame was discovered, briefly requiring the game to be re-ratedAdults Only.San Andreas received year-end accolades from severalgaming publications, and it is considered one of thesixth generation of console gaming's most significant titles and among thebest video games ever made. It was released forWindows and theXbox in 2005, followed by enhanced versions and mobile ports in the 2010s, anda remastered version in 2021.San Andreas is thebest-selling PlayStation 2 game with over 17.3 million copies sold, and one of thebest-selling games of all time with 27.5 million copies sold overall. Its successor,Grand Theft Auto IV, was released in April 2008.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is anaction-adventure game played from athird-person view.[2] In the game, players control criminalCarl "CJ" Johnson and complete missions—linear scenarios with set objectives—to progress through the story. Outside of missions, players canfreely roam the game'sopen world and complete optional side missions.[4][5] Amultiplayer mode allows two players to roam the world.[6] The fictional state ofSan Andreas, which makes up the open world, comprises three metropolitan cities: Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas.[7] The cities are unlocked as the story progresses;[8] airports allow teleportation between each city usingfast travel.[9]: 1 Scattered throughout the map, safehouses can be purchased tosave the game and store vehicles.[9]: 20
Players may run, swim, and use vehicles to navigate the world,[3] and usemelee attacks, firearms and explosives to fight enemies, including the ability todual wield firearms and commitdrive-by shootings.[10][11] Weapons are purchased from localfirearms dealers, retrieved from dead enemies, and found scattered through the world.[12] In combat,auto-aim is used to lock on to targets.[9]: 42 Should players take damage, their health meter can be fully regenerated through health pick-ups, andbody armour can be used to absorb gunshots and explosive damage.[10][13] Playersrespawn at hospitals when their health depletes.[14]: 100 If players commit crimes, law enforcement may respond as indicated by a "wanted" meter in thehead-up display. Stars displayed on the meter indicate the current wanted level; at the maximum six-star level, police helicopters and military are sent after players.[9]: 1 Officers will search for players who leave the wanted vicinity. The meter enters a cool-down mode and eventually recedes when players are hidden from the officers' line of sight.[9]: 29 The game features more than 180 vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, aircraft, boats, andremote-control vehicles,[9]: 6–11 and most can be accessorised with modifications likehydraulics,nitrous oxide engines, andstereo systems.[9]: 201–204
Players can fight members from enemy gangs to earn their territory.[9]: 196
In the world, players can fight for territory by attacking rival gang members; the territory is won when players survive three waves of responding enemy attacks. Won territories are subject to periodic enemy gang attacks—they must be successfully defended or else lost.[9]: 196 While free roaming the world, players may engage in activities such as burglary, firefighting,pimping, taxi, andvigilante missions;[9]: 176–180 completion rewards players with cash, which can be spent on CJ's accessories, clothing, hairstyles, and tattoos—newrole-playing elements for the series.[10][15] Balancing food and physical activity impacts CJ's appearance and physical attributes; eating and exercising maintains health, while losing muscle lessens combat effectiveness.[16] Three styles ofhand-to-hand combat—boxing,kickboxing, andmixed martial arts—are taught at gyms in each city.[9]: 144–145 [17]: 31 The game tracks respect among CJ's friends, which varies according to his actions and appearance.[9]: 1 Acquired skills are also tracked, such as driving, firearms handling, lung capacity, muscles, and stamina, which unlock additional game mechanics.[3][9]: 4 Players can date six different girls and take them to dinner, drinks, dancing, or driving.[9]: 200–201
Plot
In 1992, after five years inLiberty City, gangster Carl "CJ" Johnson (Young Maylay) returns to Los Santos following his mother's death in a drive-by shooting. He is intercepted by corruptCommunity Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH) officers led by Frank Tenpenny (Samuel L. Jackson), who threaten to implicate CJ in the killing of a fellow police officer unless he co-operates with them. CJ returns to Grove Street and reunites with his brother Sean "Sweet" Johnson (Faizon Love), sister Kendl Johnson (Yo-Yo), and members of his old gang, Big Smoke (Clifton Powell) and Ryder (MC Eiht). He helps his neighbour, aspiring rapper OG Loc (Jonathan Anderson), by stealing the rhyme book and killing the manager of successful rapper Madd Dogg (Ice-T). Discovering the Grove Street Families (GSF) have lost much of their territory, CJ restores the gang to power by helping reunite the various GSF sets who had splintered and allying himself with Cesar Vialpando (Clifton Collins Jr.)—Kendl's boyfriend and leader of the Varrios Los Aztecas gang. CJ and Cesar witness Smoke and Ryder meeting with Tenpenny and the rival Ballas gang, and discover they betrayed the GSF and were responsible for killing CJ's mother. Suspecting an ambush, CJ rushes to Sweet's aid in a showdown against the Ballas.
Sweet is wounded in the ambush and imprisoned, while Tenpenny exiles CJ to thecountryside, forcing him to eliminate witnesses to CRASH's corruption in exchange for Sweet's safety in prison. CJ befriends an ageinghippie andmarijuana farmer named "the Truth" (Peter Fonda) andTriad leader Wu Zi Mu (James Yaegashi). He wins a San Fierro garage, which he sets up to earn money, and crosses paths with the Loco Syndicate, Big Smoke and Ryder's drug connection. Infiltrating the organisation, he identifies its leader: the affable but mysterious Mike Toreno (James Woods). Alongside Cesar and the Triad, CJ destroys the Syndicate's drug factory, killing Ryder and other leaders except Toreno, who reveals himself to be anundercover agent. He enlists CJ's help in several shady operations in exchange for Sweet's release from prison. Meanwhile, in Las Venturas, CJ and Wu Zi Mu establish a casino and clash with theMafia. CJ saves Madd Dogg by sending him torehab, becomes his new manager, and takes back his Los Santos mansion.
After his release, Sweet and CJ revive the GSF, drive off the rival gangs from their territory, and rebuild throughout Los Santos. Tenpenny is arrested and tried for severalfelonies, but the charges are dropped due to lack of witnesses, prompting a city-wide riot. CJ soon discovers Big Smoke's hideout. The two engage in a gunfight; CJ wins, and before dying, Smoke confesses that he got caught up in money and power. Tenpenny arrives, holds CJ at gunpoint, steals Smoke's drug money, and escapes after causing an explosion in the building. He drives off in a fire truck, followed by CJ and Sweet, but eventually loses control and crashes over the side of a bridge overlooking Grove Street. CJ and his friends watch as Tenpenny dies of his injuries, ending the riot. In the aftermath, CJ's family and friends celebrate their success at the Johnson house. In the midst of the celebrations, CJ leaves to check on the neighbourhood.
Like the two previousGrand Theft Auto entries, Benzies producedSan Andreas with Dan Houser, who also co-wrote the story. Sam Houser, president of Rockstar Games, was executive producer.[18]: 20–21
Rockstar North began development ofSan Andreas after releasingGrand Theft Auto: Vice City in October 2002.[19] Their 50-person team grew to 75 once the developers fromManhunt (2003) joinedSan Andreas, while the company's New York City team consisted of around 15 members; thetesting department grew from 60 to 100 people.[20][21] Having two years of development forSan Andreas, compared to one year forVice City, gave the team more opportunities to experiment and reevaluate the previousGrand Theft Auto games.[19] ProducerLeslie Benzies hopedSan Andreas would redefine the series and "revolutionize open-ended gameplay and video game production values".[22]Rockstar Games'sThe Warriors was delayed from 2004 to 2005 to provide additional resources forSan Andreas.[23]San Andreas had a budget of underUS$10 million.[24]
Rockstar North's minimalemployee turnover since the development of the series's first game,Grand Theft Auto (1997), allowed the team to leverage their experience on the series.[25]: 57 Some developers were concerned about the working conditions at Rockstar while developingSan Andreas, as they were unable to take an adequate break afterVice City. Programmer Gary Foreman feared the company had entered a "constantcrunch", as some developers worked for 17 hours per day.[26]: 138 Some stepped away after disagreements with Rockstar presidentSam Houser about working conditions,[26]: 139–141, 160 and one long-time employee quit in objection to Rockstar's portrayal ofAfrican Americans and what he perceived to be a gloomier and more exploitative tone in their games, particularlySan Andreas andManhunt.[26]: 167
Technical and open world design
We love L.A., and the wholegangbanging vibe, and thestreet culture. That time [early '90s] in L.A. is so important and we knew a long time ago that the franchise needed to end up there. We'd done theEast Coast inGTA3, and then '80s Miami withVice City, so going to L.A. in the early '90s just seemed like an obvious place for us to go.
San Andreas's world was originally envisioned as three separate maps connected by public transport, but it ultimately evolved into one map with three cities separated by countryside and desert.[20] The cities were inspired by real locations: Los Santos by Los Angeles, San Fierro by San Francisco, and Las Venturas by Las Vegas.[7][28]: 44 Early in development, the team travelled to each city for research and photography;[29]: 61 [30]: 40 art director Aaron Garbut felt Los Angeles's gang territory in particular was difficult to capture without first-hand experience.[19] Rockstar's New York-based research team took thousands of photographs and video,[19][29]: 61 some of which were used astextures in the game.[20]San Andreas's world is 36 square kilometres (14 sq mi),[31] about four to six times larger than those fromGrand Theft Auto III andVice City,[28]: 44 and each city inSan Andreas is approximately as large as Vice City.[32] Compared to the previousGrand Theft Auto games, Garbut found it more difficult to memorise the larger map ofSan Andreas.[29]: 61 The team wanted all facets of the title—including packaging and marketing—to maintain a consistent theme and feel cohesive to players.[33][34]: 47
Benzies felt Rockstar North's relationship with Los Angeles nativesEstevan Oriol,Mister Cartoon, andDJ Pooh helped them imitate the city's 1990s street culture.[30]: 40 The team wanted to ensure the world looked neither too "toy-towny" nor too precise,[33] as they sought depth over quantitative size. Garbut wanted players to "feel like [they] can stop at any point and discover new things".[19] Real-world areas were the inspiration for many in-game locations:Compton for Los Santos's urban areas, and theGolden Gate Bridge for the Gant Bridge.[35][36] The team were enthusiastic about the inclusion of mountains, forests, and a desert—firsts for the series.[19][37] San Fierro's hills, based onthose in San Francisco, were intended to draw the player's focus towards vehicle gameplay,[28]: 45 and, from a technical perspective, the open countryside driving was inspired by Rockstar's racing gameSmuggler's Run (2002).[38]: 42 Producer and co-writerDan Houser felt the return to Los Santos inSan Andreas's final act afforded players a chance to view the city from a different perspective.[39]: 122 Garbut establishedclimate zones for each city, differentiated by their sky colour: Los Santos's red-orange, San Fierro's blue, and Las Venturas's red.[20]
San Andreas was built using thegame engineRenderWare.[40]: 74 Itsrender pipeline was rewritten for increased graphical detail and scope,[33] allowing 35–50% morepolygons on screen,[40]: 74 real-time reflections andvolumetric lighting, and uniquemodels and lighting sets for day and night,[19][28]: 45 including full shadows forstealth sequences.[41]: 24 According to Garbut, the world is built with about 16,000 unique objects and buildings.[29]: 61 Several buildings share a single low-detail model,[31] allowing them to be loaded as players traverse the map without the interruption ofloading screens like inVice City.[39]: 122 Textures were created at a high resolution and scaled down for platforms unable to handle them.[31] The driving physics were reworked from previous games due toSan Andreas's more open areas.[33]Manhunt inspiredSan Andreas's stealth elements,[34]: 49 and the "physicality" ofManhunt's targeting and gun gameplay was adapted to the open world formula.[42]Computer scripting advancements enabled the developers to create gameplay features not possible in their previous games, such as casinominigames.[31]San Andreas's action sequences were crafted as an extension of the team's favourite moments fromVice City.[21]
Story and characters
Several historical events influenced the narrative, including theRampart scandal of theLos Angeles Police Department,[43] the1990s crack epidemic, the1992 Los Angeles riots,[44] and the rivalry between theBloods andCrips street gangs.[45] Sam Houser was fascinated by the appearances of street gangs and terrified by their behaviour.[46] The writers sought to accurately portray gang violence without glorifying it,[25]: 54 and they wanted each gang to act differently, signified by unique walking styles.[20] DJ Pooh was hired to co-write the game from an American perspective.[26]: 189 The narrative was influenced byHollywood films; Dan Houser said the team watched "hundreds of movies to get the California vibe".[37] The developers referencedBoyz n the Hood (1991),Colors (1988), andMenace II Society (1993) for narrative inspiration, and compared their in-game locations to those in different films: the countryside toDeliverance (1972), San Fierro toBullitt (1968), and Las Venturas toCasino (1995).[40]: 77 Journalists identified references to other films likeJuice (1992) andNew Jack City (1991).[47][48][49][50] The focus on several communities inSan Andreas was prompted by the variety in 1990sWest Coast culture.[42]
San Andreas concluded a loosely connected trilogy ofGrand Theft Auto games, set in the 1980s (Vice City), 1990s (San Andreas), and early 2000s (III).[42] The team wanted the games to be loosely connected in their avoidance of an "ultimate bad guy". Dan Houser enjoyed the inclusion ofIII's antagonist Catalina inSan Andreas to make the character more sympathetic.[21] The team felt "the world's attention was on California" in the 1990s in regards to news and music, and that it translated well to the game.[40]: 77 They initially considered other time periods, like the 1930s to 1950s, for the game's setting but found them incongruous with the series.[27]: 108 Dan Houser said the game'ssatire was aimed towards the "broader weirdness" of Americanconsumerism andaction films.[33] He noted the writers attempted to outdo each other's humour.[33] The team wanted to give players the freedom to make choices while maintaining interest in the story.[33] The game features over 400 speaking actors[33] and over 60,000 lines of dialogue, including over 7,700[b] for CJ;[51] it broke aGuinness World Record for the largest video game voice cast with 861 credited actors.[52] Recording took place over roughly five months.[21] Eachnon-player character had around an hour of dialogue, in contrast toVice City's ten minutes.[40]: 71
Sam Houser sought an unknown actor for CJ, as he felt conflicted aboutRay Liotta's performance asTommy Vercetti inVice City due to his familiarity with Liotta's previous work. Houser opted to cast celebrities in secondary roles, such as Jackson as Tenpenny, and he felt Young Maylay's obscurity in the industry made CJ feel "very, very human".[53] Rockstar asked Young Maylay to audition after overhearing him speak with DJ Pooh, and they cast him a few weeks later, marking his first acting performance.[54]: 41 He felt the developers gave him the freedom to imbue CJ with his own personality.[55] They aimed for CJ to be their "most human" character, ensuring he had "the most intense story around him" so players would identify with him.[25]: 54 DJ Pooh compared CJ to the rapperTupac Shakur in his fierce dedication to family but ability to become "cold-blooded" when necessary.[56]: 49 The team felt the ability to adjust CJ's weight gave consequences to the player's actions,[42] and Dan Houser thought CJ's customisability allowed players to better connect with the characters.[28]: 50 DJ Pooh engaged several other actors to work on the game, such as Faizon Love, MC Eiht, andShawn Fonteno.[20]
Rockstar partnered withInterscope Records to create the game's soundtrack.[57] The in-game radio features eleven radio stations with twentydisc jockeys—includingAxl Rose,Chuck D, andGeorge Clinton[58]—and more than three times as many licensed songs and original in-universe advertisements asGrand Theft Auto III. The radio features were overhauled from previousGrand Theft Auto games; instead of each station's audio being looped, they became dynamic with randomised song orders, accurate weather predictions, and story-relevant news announcements.[59]Michael Hunter wrote the game'smain theme,[60] partly inspired by his childhood experiences withhip-hop throughYo! MTV Raps (1988–1995).[20] Interscope published twocompilation albums for the game: a two-disc album in November 2004,[61] and an eight-disc box set in December.[62] TheWindows,Xbox, and mobile versions of the game added an additional radio station supporting a custom, user-imported soundtrack.[11][63][64]
Release and promotion
In October 2003, Rockstar's parent companyTake-Two Interactive announced the nextGrand Theft Auto game would be released in 2004's third quarter,[65] and it prompted speculation after registeringGTA: San Andreas with theU.S. Patent and Trademark Office in December 2003.[66] Rockstar announced the game in March 2004, along with a scheduled release date of 19 and 22 October in North America and Europe, respectively.[22] The first details and screenshots were released atE3 in May[49] alongside acover story inGame Informer,[32] followed by thecover art in July.[67] Rockstar launched the official website and first trailer in August,[68][69] followed by the second trailer in September.[70][71] In September, Take-Two announced the game's delay to 26 and 29October in North America and Europe, respectively, and revealed it would be released for Windows in early 2005.[72] Rockstar commissioned hand-painted advertisements forSan Andreas around the world in late 2004; one inMelbourne, Australia, remained partially visible in 2020.[73]
In October 2004, an early version of the game was leaked byhackers;[74] Rockstar asserted it would "aggressively pursue this matter" and asked for information.[75] The game was released for the PlayStation 2 in October 2004.[72] Aspecial edition version was published for the PlayStation 2 on 8October 2005, featuring Rockstar's debut documentary filmSunday Driver, about alowridercar club in Compton.[76] It also includedThe Introduction,[77] an in-engine video previously provided on aDVD with the game's soundtrack.[61] The 21-minute video chronicles the events leading up toSan Andreas, featuring CJ, Sweet, Big Smoke, Ryder, and Tenpenny.[78]GameSpot recommended the film for fans of the series;[79]IGN's Chris Carle enjoyed the voice acting but found the narrative uncompelling and felt the film alone was not worth purchasing the special edition.[77]Capcom published the game in Japan on 25January 2007.[80][81]
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas received "universal acclaim" from critics, according to review aggregatorMetacritic.[82] It is the site's fifth-highest-rated PlayStation 2 game.[89]PSM2's Daniel Dawkins declared it "the single most complete, unique, universe in console history" afterThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998) and "the best entertainment console gaming can offer".[90]Game Informer's Andrew Reiner called it "entertainment at its best"[86] andGameSpy's Miguel Lopez wrote it reminded him why he plays games: "to be liberated from the constraints of reality, and explore living, breathing worlds".[91]
Several reviewers consideredSan Andreas's world an improvement over its predecessors',[86][88][92] praising the attention to detail in its areas and characters;[10][93]IGN's Jeremy Dunham cited the differences in each city's weather as a highlight.[10]1Up.com's Jeremy Parish considered it "the most complete, complex and detailed environment ever crafted for a game", praising the complexities of the freeway system and social dynamics.[92]GameSpy's Lopez lauded its accurate imitation of theAmerican West Coast.[94] Critics considered the graphics an improvement overVice City,[93][95] particularly regarding the animations, foliage, lighting, and weather effects;[3][10][85]PALGN's Chris Sell called it "one of the most visually absorbing games ever".[88] Criticism was directed at the game's technical issues, with several reviewers encounteringpop-up graphics,[10][88][90] and unstableframe rates;[3][92][93] some felt the game pushed the PlayStation 2 hardware to its limit.[92][93]
Game Informer's Reiner considered gameplay a dramatic improvement over previous entries.[86]PSM2's Dawkins found the missions were rarely repetitive and blended difficulty with comedy.[96]GameRevolution's Joe Dodson lauded the freedom provided to players,[85] while1Up.com's Parish felt the previous games' improvisation had been removed[97] andElectronic Gaming Monthly's Dan Hsu thought it could have benefited from branching paths.[83]The New York Times's Charles Herold found the game's structure diminished enjoyment of its missions, forcing players to drive long distances and replay extensive sequences upon failing,[98] a complaint echoed by others.[85][88][93] Some reviewers criticised the combat targeting (though acknowledged the usefulness of auto-aim)[10][88][93] and the flight, racing,RC car, and minigame controls.[88][93][99][97] The addition of role-playing elements was praised for its simplicity, subtlety, and effectiveness,[3][83][93][100] though1Up.com's Parish denounced some missions' statistical prerequisites.[97]
Several critics considered the narrative the series's best to date,[10][88] whichEurogamer's Kristan Reed attributed to its focus on dialogue and scene-setting, both in and out of cutscenes.[93]Game Informer's Matt Miller enjoyed the narrative's ridicule of modern culture.[86] Some reviewers compared the story to Hollywood films and similarpopular culture;[86][101]PSM2's Dawkins felt the finale "outstrips the collected work" of filmmakersJerry Bruckheimer andDon Simpson.[96] Critics praised the cast's performances, particularly that of Young Maylay, Samuel L. Jackson, James Woods, andDavid Cross.[3][86][99]Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine's John Davison considered CJ "possibly one of the most well-developed and believable videogame characters ever made" due to his layered personality and realistic behaviour;[95]1Up.com's Parish concurred but felt CJ's kind nature made his in-game actions less believable, a problem that may have been circumvented through a branching narrative.[101]
Some critics and scholars criticised the game for perpetuatingracial stereotypes.[102][103][104][105]Seeing Black's Esther Iverem condemned the series for "validating ... an accepted caricature" rather than teaching respect and tolerance.[105] Dean Chan felt the series's protagonist shift from Tommy (anItalian American) to CJ (an African American) without subverting archetypes made it "complicit in the pathologization and fetishization of race".[106]: 25 Paul Barrett found its disregard and decontextualisation ofinstitutional racism's structures suggest "that the problems that African Americans experience is due to individual failure", reinforced by the concept that white players can simply experience "black identity".[107]: 114 AGames and Culture study found youth groups "do not passively receive the games' images and content": white players expressed concern about its racial stereotypes, while African American players used it "as a framework to discuss institutional racism".[108]: 264, 279 Rachael Hutchinson consideredSan Andreas "a critical reflection on racial conflict in America" and found several criticisms were based on limited viewings instead of the whole story.[109]: 174–175 Kotaku opined some in-game interactions could be portrayed as a lack of racism, such as characters conversing without moderating vocabularies or commenting on others'.[110]1Up.com's Parish lauded the references toRodney King's assault and the sophisticated writing addressing race inSouth Central Los Angeles.[101] David J. Leonard felt politicians and legislators were more concerned about the game's violent and sexual content than its racial stereotypes.[104]: 268
PALGN's Matt Keller considered the Windows release the best version of the game.[119] Reviewers lauded the improved graphics,[119][123] particularly the detailed textures and models, higherdraw distance, and improved frame rate, loading times, andanti-aliasing,[111][119][124][125] though some considered the graphics outdated for the platform.[117][126]PALGN's Keller found the increased population density improved the world's overall atmosphere.[119] Themouse and keyboard controls were generally praised as an improvement over the console versions and the series's previous Windows ports,[119][125][127] especially during combat gameplay,[11][117][119][128] though responses to driving controls andkeyboard mapping were mixed.[111][117][123] Praise was directed at the custom radio[111][127] andphysical packaging and manual.[11][128] Some critics bemoaned the lack of changes to the mission structure,[124][125] and some encountered technical difficulties like sudden and majorlagging spikes.[115][128]
GameZone's Eduardo Zacarias called the Xbox release the "definitive version of the game",[116] andGameSpy's Will Tuttle considered it better than the original.[129] Several reviewers praised the improved assets, reflections, shadows, and load times,[116][118][129] as well as the addition of a custom radio station[118][129] and video replay mode,[130][131] thoughGameSpy's Tuttle felt the latter was pointless without the ability to save videos.[130] Some critics thought the controls had not been improved since the original,[120][123] and others considered it a downgrade,[130][131] thoughGameSpot'sJeff Gerstmann appreciated theXbox controller's analoguetriggers when driving.[112] Some technical problems occasionally persisted, including pop-up, inconsistent frame rates, and pooraliasing,[112][123][131] and some reviewers bemoaned the lack of significant graphical improvements.[118][120]
San Andreas's mobile version received "generally favorable" reviews according to Metacritic.[82]TouchArcade's Eli Hodapp considered it "the best the game has ever been",[134] whileDigital Spy's Scott Nichols said it was "easily the worst way to experience" the game, only recommending that players with newer mobile hardware consider purchasing.[135] ItsUS$6.99 price point was praised.[132][134][136][137]
Reviewers praised the port's graphical enhancements, including increased draw distance, improved frame rates and load times, and enhanced models, reflections, shadows, and lighting,[133][134][136][137] thoughIGN's Leif Johnson found the textures remained dated[132] and some critics encountered technical issues like pop-up.[137][138]Digital Spy's Nichols lauded the addition of mid-missioncheckpoints,[135] andTouchArcade's Hodapp foundcloud saves the port's best feature.[134] Responses to the controls were generally positive,[133][134][136] considered an improvement over the series's previous mobile ports,[137] though critics concurred that playing with acontroller improved the experience and better imitated the original versions.[132][133][134]
San Andreas was named 2004's best game byGamesMaster[145] and runner-up byPSM.[146] It won PlayStation 2 Game of the Year and Best Game Within a Game (forpool) fromElectronic Gaming Monthly,[147] Best PlayStation 2 Game, Best Action Adventure Game, Best Voice Acting, and Funniest Game fromGameSpot,[148][149][150][151] Best Action Game and Best Story for PlayStation 2 fromIGN,[152][153] and Best Replay Value and Best Voice Acting fromPSM.[146]
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas sold 4.5 million copies in its first week,[159] outsellingVice City by 45%.[160] In the United States, it sold 2.06 million units within six days of release[161] and generatedUS$235 million in revenue in its first week;[162] it sold 1.5 million units in November, totalling 3.6 million sales overall. Analysts noted the game, alongsideHalo 2, led the industry to an 11% annual increase instead of a 21% decrease.[163] In the United Kingdom, it sold an estimated 677,000 copies and grossed about£24 million within two days, setting the record for the most copies sold during a weekend,[164] and over 1 million copies and£35 million in nine days, becoming the country's fast-selling game.[165] In Australia, it sold over 58,000 copies in its opening weekend, becoming the country's eleventh-best-selling game.[166]
Michael Pachter ofWedbush Morgan estimated the game had earned agross profit of aroundUS$285 million within three months, and would generateUS$400 million in worldwide sales by the year's end.[24]San Andreas was 2004's best-selling game, with 5.1 million copies sold in the United States[167] and over 1.75 million in the United Kingdom.[168] It was 2005's eighth-highest-grossing game in the United States.[169] The game topped the charts upon release in Japan, selling over 227,000 units in its first week.[170] It was the best-selling game in the United States by April 2008, with over 8.6 million units sold,[171] thebest-selling PlayStation 2 game with 17.33 million units sold by 2009.[52] and one of thebest-selling Xbox games with 1.26 million units sold by 2007.[172][173] Worldwide sales reached 12 million units by March 2005,[174] 21.5 million by April 2008,[171] and 27.5 million by 2011. It is among thebest-selling games of all time.[175]
The development team curtailed planned nudity and sexual content to meet the requirements for a "Mature" rating from theEntertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB); rather than removing the content, they made it inaccessible to players.Modders discovered the code on the PlayStation 2 release, and modder Patrick Wildenborg found how to enable the code after the Windows release, allowing CJ to have animatedsexual intercourse with his in-game girlfriend. He released this modified code online under the name "Hot Coffee" after the euphemism used in the game, and it was downloaded over one million times within four weeks.[176]
The discovery of "Hot Coffee" resulted in legal backlash for Rockstar and Take-Two; both remained mostly silent on the matter.[26]: 203–208 The ESRB re-rated the game "Adults Only" after an investigation,[177] while the game was banned in Australia until the explicit content was removed.[178] Rockstar and Take-Two received a warning from theFederal Trade Commission for failing to disclose the extent of graphic content present,[179] while aclass action lawsuit alleged that the company had misled customers who believed the game's content fell along the lines of a "Mature" rating.[180][181] As a result of "Hot Coffee", the ESRB announced fines of up toUS$1 million for game developers who failed to disclose the extent of their graphic content.[182]
Legacy
Critics agreedSan Andreas was among the most significant titles in thesixth generation of console gaming[183] and among thebest games ever made.[184] Rockstar established a newnarrative continuity for the series withseventh-generation consoles, focusing more on realism and details. WithGrand Theft Auto IV (2008), the team focused on increasing the amount and detail of buildings,[185] removing dead spots and irrelevant spaces to allow "a more focused experience" thanSan Andreas.[186][187] The focus on realism and depth was continued withGrand Theft Auto V (2013), with the development team re-designing Los Santos and excluding San Fierro and Las Venturas; Dan Houser felt that by incorporating three cities intoSan Andreas, the development team was limited in how effectively they could emulate Los Angeles.[188][189] Garbut felt technical limitations preventedSan Andreas from properly capturing Los Angeles, making it feel like a "backdrop or a game level with pedestrians randomly milling about" and effectively deeming it as a jumping-off point for thedevelopment ofGrand Theft Auto V.[190]
Several moments from the game became commoninternet memes, such asBig Smoke's extensivefast food order in 2016[191][192][193] and one of CJ's first lines—"Ah shit, here we go again"—in April 2019.[194][195][196] An early mission, "Wrong Side of the Tracks", became notable for its difficulty; Big Smoke's dialogue upon failing the mission—"All we had to do, was follow the damn train, CJ!"—was considered an iconic catchphrase[197][198][199] and later referenced inGrand Theft Auto V.[200] Modders have been known to frequently insert CJ into other games, such asDark Souls (2011),The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017), andStreet Fighter 6 (2023).[201][202][203]
Ports
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was released for Windows and the Xbox on 7 and 10June 2005 in North America and Europe, respectively,[204] supporting higher screen resolutions, draw distance, and more detailed textures.[205] The Xbox version was released for theXbox 360 on 20October 2008 as part ofXbox Originals,[206] and the PlayStation 2 version for thePlayStation 3 on 11 December 2012 as part ofPS2 Classics.[207] The Xbox Originals release was replaced with an enhanced version as part of the game's tenth anniversary on 26October 2014, featuring higher resolution, enhanced draw distance, a new menu interface, andachievements;[208] the PS2 Classics release was replaced with this enhanced version on 1December 2015,[209] and the PlayStation 2 version was released for thePlayStation 4 on 5December.[210]
San Andreas was bundled with predecessorsGrand Theft Auto III andVice City in a compilation titledGrand Theft Auto: The Trilogy, released in North America for the Xbox on 8October 2005,[76] PlayStation 2 on 4December 2006,[211] andMac OS X on 12November 2010.[212] Aremastered version ofThe Trilogy subtitledThe Definitive Edition was released for theNintendo Switch, PlayStation 4,PlayStation 5, Windows,Xbox One, andXbox Series X/S on 11November 2021,[213] and for Android and iOS on 14 December 2023.[214] Existing versions of the game were removed from digital retailers in preparation forThe Definitive Edition,[213] but later restored as a bundle on the Rockstar Store.[215]
A mobile port ofSan Andreas, developed by War Drum Studios,[1] was released foriOS devices on 12December 2013,[216]Android on 19December,[217]Windows Phone on 27January 2014,[218] andFire OS on 15May 2014.[219] The port featured updated graphics, shadows, and character and vehicle models.[132] In October 2021,Meta Platforms announced avirtual reality (VR) version of the game was in development for theQuest 2[220] by Video Games Deluxe.[221] Following the release of theMeta Quest 3 in October 2023, players questioned the status of the VR version and some suspected it may have been quietly cancelled.[222][223] Meta said the port was "on hold indefinitely" in August 2024.[224]
Notes
^Ported to iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Fire OS, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 by War Drum Studios[1]
^CJ has more than 3,500 lines of dialogue in cutscenes, and over 4,200 in the open world.[51]
^Annandale, David (2006). "The Subversive Carnival ofGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas". In Garrelts, Nate (ed.).The Meaning and Culture of Grand Theft Auto: Critical Essays.McFarland & Company. pp. 88–103.ISBN978-0-786-42822-9.
^Knight, Gladys L. (2014). "Los Angeles, California".Pop Culture Places: An Encyclopedia of Places in American Popular Culture. Vol. 1. p. 538.ISBN978-0-313-39883-4.
^Neal, Sarah (2014). "Cybercrime, transgression and virtual environments". In Muncie, John; Talbot, Deborah; Walters, Reece (eds.).Crime: Local and Global.Routledge. p. 97.doi:10.4324/9781315880716.ISBN978-1-315-88071-6.
^abcPalmisano, Fabio (18 December 2013)."Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Recensione" [Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Review].Multiplayer.it (in Italian).Archived from the original on 21 December 2013. Retrieved11 January 2024.
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