Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas redefined open-world gaming with its interconnected cities, but it almost took a different approach. According to former Rockstar developer Obbe Vermeij, San Andreas was initially set to feature three separate maps for its iconic cities—Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas—connected by travel points like planes and trains. This design choice was heavily influenced by the technical limitations of the PlayStation 2 era, where memory constraints made it challenging to keep all three cities visible and accessible in a single map.
Vermeij, who has shared several behind-the-scenes stories on social media to celebrate San Andreas’ 20th anniversary, explained that creating three separate maps would have allowed Rockstar to better control things like unique vehicles, localized weather, and pickups. For instance, Los Santos could have had its own ambulances and police cars without sharing assets across the other cities. This separation also would have simplified streaming the cities into the game, ensuring smoother gameplay and reduced loading times—a critical consideration given the hardware limits of the time.
The decision to merge all three cities into one expansive map was, however, a game-changer for the GTA series. During a final development meeting, Rockstar North’s team, including artists and technical designers, ultimately opted to unify the cities. The idea was to push the boundaries of what an open world could be, paving the way for the immersive experience San Andreas is known for. This single, sprawling map set the standard for open-world games and gave players the freedom to explore one of the largest virtual landscapes of its time.
Source: DeviantArt
The choice to create an interconnected map helped cement San Andreas as a genre-defining game, sparking countless memories among fans. From epic car chases across cities to memorable cheat codes like flying cars, San Andreas became a legend in gaming history, and it all began with Rockstar’s ambitious decision to keep the world open and unified.
As Rockstar fans eagerly await more news on future installments, these insights into San Andreas remind us of the series’ legacy and the bold creative decisions that continue to shape open-world gaming.
