"Delivering nothing but top-notch: A glimpse into the development of GTA 1991, the ambitious San Andreas prequel, as its creators edge closer to a unique achievement"
In the world of gaming, fan-made projects often fill the gaps left by developers, and GTA 1991 is no exception. This ambitious hobbyist project aims to delve into the origins of the beloved Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (GTA:SA).
Originally released in 2004, GTA:SA did not receive an official detailed origin story or extensive backstory prequel from Rockstar Games. Instead, the game focused on depicting a snapshot of early 1990s West Coast gang culture through the personal story of Carl "CJ" Johnson. Set in 1992 in the fictional state of San Andreas, modeled on California and Nevada, the game captured a broad social and cultural environment rather than a single origin event or clear canonical backstory expansion.
Rockstar Games keeps different "3D universe" GTA title storylines somewhat separate, with San Andreas narrative self-contained and not fully integrated into later games like GTA 5—which Rockstar confirmed exist in separate universes—thus reducing the incentive to create an official extended origin narrative or prequel focused on San Andreas events.
Fan-made projects like GTA 1991 likely arise from the community’s interest in expanding and exploring the timeline and lore beyond Rockstar’s official narratives. In GTA 1991, the protagonist inadvertently kicks off the crack epidemic that goes on to strangle Los Santos. The drug dealing system in GTA 1991 lays the foundations for this epidemic, working similarly to Saints Row’s tier lists, with the ability to manufacture and sell drugs from safe houses.
The narrative hook of GTA 1991 explores the beginnings of the Los Santos crack epidemic through the eyes of a character named Little Devil. Little Devil's best friend Sebastian is a drug dealer, which puts him in an awkward position. The project is led by deltaCJ and has been in development for seven years.
deltaCJ's creative liberty in GTA 1991 is extensive, with a focus on fleshing out the groundings of one of the most revered open world games of all time. Capturing zones and building safe houses in GTA 1991 act as the foundation of the narcotics empire. Completing missions helps level up the manufacturing process.
In addition to the core gameplay, GTA 1991 features a purchasable properties, vehicles, and weapons system across 20-30 missions. deltaCJ is working in a dedicated office on GTA 1991, focusing on motion capture and animation sequences. The project has faced delays due to life events and contributor changes, but deltaCJ is working to iron out narrative and lore inconsistencies.
For updates on GTA 1991, you can find them on GTAForums, as the project is planning a gameplay showcase for this month. While official Rockstar information on that project is unavailable, the vibrant modding and fan community around GTA:SA suggests that there is a rich potential for exploration and expansion of the game's storytelling and environment.
In the spirit of supplementing the gaps left by developers, a fan-made project named GTA 1991 endeavors to delve into the origins of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (GTA:SA). This fan project, led by deltaCJ, (referred to as 'Little Devil' in its narrative) expands the timeline by exploring the beginnings of the Los Santos crack epidemic. Beyond core gameplay features like purchasable properties, vehicles, and weapons, GTA 1991 also incorporates elements from movies-and-tv entertainment, particularly when it comes to presenting motion capture and animation sequences.
