A new Grand Theft Auto leak has many fans of the series scratching their heads. The Pan European Game Information rating board, more commonly known as PEGI, has recently rated both the original Grand Theft Auto and Grand Theft Auto 2 not for the PlayStation 4, but for the PlayStation 3.
Grand Theft Auto 5 released in 2013 and has been a massive success, generating a constant revenue stream for Rockstar thanks to the popularity of Grand Theft Auto Online, which still receives frequent updates to this day. The developer’s game output has slowed down significantly following the game’s release, with only one other Rockstar title, the open-world western Red Dead Redemption 2, releasing since then. Most leaks and rumors that come out regarding Rockstar tend to center around the potential release of Grand Theft Auto 6, which is why the rating of these two games in particular is so odd.
The description provided for the games definitely points to the fact that these are the actual Grand Theft Auto and Grand Theft Auto 2 that released for the original PlayStation and not simply the wrong games under a mistaken title. The first game has been awarded a PEGI 16 rating while the second has received a slightly more mature PEGI 18 rating. Despite both games getting very legitimate-looking ratings, Rockstar has not said anything about a potential re-release or remaster of the original Grand Theft Auto games. Still, PEGI can’t rate something that doesn’t exist, so there may be some credibility to this leak outside of the release date and platform.
The platform choice doesn’t clear anything up, either, as both games are supposedly heading to the PlayStation 3. Even stranger is the supposed release date of April 30, which has already come and gone. The release date may just be a placeholder, as many game release dates have been shifting around lately, but the designated platform is absolutely the most baffling aspect of this leak. The PlayStation 3 has long been retired, and even the PlayStation 4 is on its last legs because the PlayStation 5 is on track to release later this year.
The PlayStation 3 still does see some use thanks to Sony’s PlayStation Now streaming service, and that could be where these two classic games end up. Nothing gets released for the system anymore, but Grand Theft Auto is a big name that could definitely be used to pad out the library of a streaming service like PlayStation Now. Unfortunately, the games wouldn’t be downloadable due to platform restrictions on the service, but having them playable in any way, even streaming, would be a big win for Sony, especially considering the breakout success of Xbox Game Pass. Also, any Grand Theft Auto re-release will make the wait for the next Grand Theft Auto much easier. That’s practically the only way this leak makes sense, unless the platform and release dates are both inaccurate and the game is coming to more recent consoles at a later date.
Having the games available only through streaming on PlayStation Now can be disappointing to some, however. The earlier Grand Theft Auto games never get enough love and don’t typically get ported to other platforms as a result. A remaster or re-release on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One would be a much better solution, but PlayStation Now is better than nothing,
Source: Comicbook
