GTA: San Andreas 20th Anniversary: Behind the Scenes with Developer Obbe Vermeij

It's been two decades since Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was released, yet this game remains a cultural touchstone in gaming. In its twentieth anniversary, former Rockstar developer Obbe Vermeij discussed the development of San Andreas and looking back on how it managed to become such a colossus success, not only for Rockstar Games but also for open-world games.

A Changed Vision: The One Map Decision

Vermeij has worked on GTA 3, Vice City, San Andreas, and GTA IV; what's interesting is he showed us a twist of the original design of San Andreas that was meant to be inter-connected maps by trains and planes to travel from city to city, a good way to ease up on memory but made each city so unique.

 

 

However, an executive decision of Rockstar North led towards a change: the creators chose one long, extended map. Technical challenges for the developers gave way later to an extra layer that added to a game which felt more immersible as players could finally explore free San Andreas. No stopping or pause was applied in doing so.

Excitement Day of the Launch

Reflecting on the actual launch of the game San Andreas, Vermeij recalls the hype surrounding its release. Pre-internet marketing was limited to being confined to trailers, scattered magazine articles, and limited TV spots. However, the hype was palpable there. Vermeij recalled seeing those at the midnight launch event in HMV in Edinburgh getting in line through the rain for the first time to ever experience the game.

 

 

The line ran through the store and out onto the street, he continued to tell how fans' excitement transformed an ordinary night into an historical event. For most people, San Andreas represented access to unforgettable adventures in a pioneering digital world.

Community Comments

The gaming community was very reactive to Vermeij's nostalgic posts:

 

• 20 years later, and it's still the GOAT of open-world games. We need more insights like this!

• "That launch night was epic! San Andreas defined my teenage years."

• "One map was definitely the right call—it changed everything for open-world gaming."

Obbe Vermeij's reflections on GTA: San Andreas's development and launch capture the legacy of a title that remains a milestone in gaming. This 20th anniversary reminds fans and developers alike of the game's impact, one that continues to inspire open-world design .