Rockstar Games released GTA Online in October 2013 as Grand Theft Auto 5’s multiplayer mode. Today, it is one of the most successful ventures of the company, but a recent leak suggests it might have originally been a 2001 project. Design documents of some Grand Theft Auto titles were seemingly leaked online on December 25, 2024, and plans for a multiplayer mode for Grand Theft Auto 3 were reportedly mentioned in them.

According to X user @videotechuk_, who’s an active GTA community member on the platform, this canceled GTA Online 2001 project reportedly had plans for integration of features like character customization, a skill system, as well as the ability to own properties.


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Obbe Vermeij, former Technical Director at Rockstar North, also provided some insight on X after the new GTA leaks on Christmas Day. He said the project was worked on for a few weeks, and that Rockstar Vancouver (formerly Barking Dog Studios) was contacted to explore its design.

Note: Part of this article is based on a leak. Readers are advised to take the information herein with a grain of salt.

Ex-Rockstar Games dev talks about leaked GTA Online 2001 project

Obbe Vermeij revealed that he had written a basic implementation of a deathmatch for Grand Theft Auto 3’s canceled multiplayer mode. He also revealed that players would be able to score points by killing each other in it.

The tweet further talked about Barking Dog Studios being asked to explore Grand Theft Auto Online 2001’s design. While this project was eventually abandoned, Barking Dog Studios would go on to release Bully as Rockstar Vancouver in 2006, which is a beloved title among Rockstar Games’ fans.

It is worth noting that Obbe Vermeij has talked about Grand Theft Auto 3’s canceled multiplayer before the recent GTA documents leak as well.

In that tweet, the ex-Rockstar Technical Director mentioned that while basic gameplay of the planned Grand Theft Auto 3 multiplayer was working, “there was too much to be done” and it ended up being canceled. He then stated they tried working on a multiplayer for Grand Theft Auto Vice City after that but failed again, and “settled for the Coop mode” in Grand Theft Auto San Andreas.

The first proper online multiplayer experience in the franchise was introduced with 2008’s Grand Theft Auto 4 and then expanded upon greatly in GTA 5 with its Online multiplayer. In fact, it continues receiving fresh content to this day, the latest example of which as of this writing is the Agent of Sabotage update.

Also check: GTA Online weekly update continues (December 26, 2024-January 1, 2025)