Incredibly realistic GTA VR mod garners praise from former GTA 5 developer who says they "barely recognize the game I worked so hard on" and reveals Rockstar "had no interest" in making its own

18.04.2024 - 19:19 / gamesradar.com / Catherine Lewis

One former GTA 5 developer says they "barely recognize the game I worked so hard on" after seeing it in VR combined with an ultra-realistic graphics mod, and has revealed that Rockstar's lack of interest in making anything similar is part of why they stopped working there in the first place. 

The veteran developer, Bela Kampis, spent a year working as a 3D Programmer on GTA 5. Earlier this week, they shared a clip from a GTA 5 player who used a VR mod along with the NaturalVision Remastered overhaul from Razed Mods, which alters ambient colors, weather, textures and more in order to make the 2013 action-adventure feel more realistic. There's no doubt that the combination of the two looks seriously impressive, and from the short clip shared, it seems like a highly immersive way to play through Rockstar's open-world game. 

"Wow, I barely recognize the game I worked so hard on. [...] One of the reasons I left Rockstar after 5 launched was when they made it clear management had no interest in VR. Otherwise I'd still be working there, probably," Kampis wrote. 

Wow, I barely recognize the game I worked so hard on.This is insane!One of the reasons I left Rockstar after V launched was when they made it clear management had no interest in VR. Otherwise I'd still be working there, probably. https://t.co/EYlqT2Pae5April 17, 2024

With that said, the lack of official VR support from Rockstar wasn't the only thing that influenced Kampis' decision to leave the studio. Further down in the thread, they add: "One of the several reasons I left is they wanted to switch me from GTA 5 to [Red Dead Redemption 2] which (all due respect to those who love it), cowboys and horses aren't my cup of tea. I like mechanical things, vehicles, etc. GTA 5 was a dream job but it ran its course."

Even if Rockstar never released an official VR mode for GTA 5, at least we can usually count on modders to create things like this themselves. With that said, back in 2022, one modder reportedly received a DMCA takedown notice from parent company Take-Two Interactive after offering VR mods for GTA 5, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Mafia Definitive Edition on their Patreon page. At the time, the modder argued that they'd not built the mods using Take-Two's software, and that they all required legitimate copies of the game to work, but they still ended up removing the mods from their page. 

If you love virtual reality, be sure to check out our picks for the best VR games you can play right now. 

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