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** A UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast version of the game was in the works initially, but the console's lack of processing power led Rockstar to instead shift their development efforts to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2.
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** A UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast Platform/SegaDreamcast version of the game was in the works initially, but the console's lack of processing power led Rockstar to instead shift their development efforts to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2.Platform/PlayStation2.
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** Rockstar originally had [[https://comicbook.com/gaming/2019/07/28/gta-5-online-grand-theft-auto-v-dlc-story/ single-player expansions]] in the works that would have [[AndTheAdventureContinues continued the story]] of the game's protagonists, including a new casino heist and a ZombieApocalypse-themed expansion similar to ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemptionUndeadNightmare''. However, the ObviousBeta state of the game's multiplayer mode, ''GTA Online'', at launch necessitated lots of work to fix it, and furthermore, ''GTA Online'' went on to become an unexpectedly massive CashCowFranchise, causing Rockstar to redirect its post-launch support to adding new multiplayer content. Some of the things they were planning to add to single-player through expansions, including the casino, would be retooled into multiplayer expansions instead.
to:
** Rockstar originally had [[https://comicbook.com/gaming/2019/07/28/gta-5-online-grand-theft-auto-v-dlc-story/ Datamining]] of the game, followed by a [[https://twitter.com/morsmutual_/status/1739229564482556030 leak]] of its source code on Christmas Eve 2023, revealed that Rockstar originally had up to eight single-player expansions]] expansions in the works that would have [[AndTheAdventureContinues continued the story]] of the game's protagonists, including a new casino heist and a ZombieApocalypse-themed expansion similar to ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemptionUndeadNightmare''. as well as introduced non-canon side stories built around fantastical scenarios. However, the ObviousBeta state of the game's multiplayer mode, ''GTA Online'', ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoOnline'', at launch necessitated lots of work to fix it, and furthermore, ''GTA Online'' went on to become an unexpectedly massive CashCowFranchise, causing Rockstar to redirect its post-launch support to adding new multiplayer content. Some of the things they were planning to add to single-player through expansions, including the casino, expansions would be retooled into multiplayer expansions instead.instead. [[https://gta.fandom.com/wiki/Untitled_Grand_Theft_Auto_V:_Story_Mode_DLC This page]] on the ''GTA'' wiki goes into more detail.
*** The Diamond Casino & Resort multiplayer expansion, including the heist that it is built around, was originally intended for single-player.
*** One expansion would have been called Agent Trevor and would have involved Trevor working for [[GovernmentAgencyOfFiction the IAA]]. Twelve new assassination side missions were also introduced. Much of its content was instead retooled into the Doomsday Heist multiplayer expansion.
*** There were plans for two non-canon single-player expansions similar to ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemptionUndeadNightmare'', one themed around a ZombieApocalypse and the other around an AlienInvasion. Content from the former became part of the Arena War multiplayer expansion.
** A cut mission strand called the Sharmoota Job involved Michael and Trevor robbing Martin Madrazo's mansion and kidnapping his wife Patricia. In the final game, Trevor would kidnap Patricia offscreen after Michael decides not to go through with the heist. Several elements from this cut heist were later retooled for the Cayo Perico Heist multiplayer expansion.
*** The Diamond Casino & Resort multiplayer expansion, including the heist that it is built around, was originally intended for single-player.
*** One expansion would have been called Agent Trevor and would have involved Trevor working for [[GovernmentAgencyOfFiction the IAA]]. Twelve new assassination side missions were also introduced. Much of its content was instead retooled into the Doomsday Heist multiplayer expansion.
*** There were plans for two non-canon single-player expansions similar to ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemptionUndeadNightmare'', one themed around a ZombieApocalypse and the other around an AlienInvasion. Content from the former became part of the Arena War multiplayer expansion.
** A cut mission strand called the Sharmoota Job involved Michael and Trevor robbing Martin Madrazo's mansion and kidnapping his wife Patricia. In the final game, Trevor would kidnap Patricia offscreen after Michael decides not to go through with the heist. Several elements from this cut heist were later retooled for the Cayo Perico Heist multiplayer expansion.
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** On Christmas Eve 2023, the game's source code was [[https://twitter.com/morsmutual_/status/1739229564482556030 leaked,]] revealing a treasure trove of cut content and plans for eight single-player expansions, including a prologue/prequel (speculated by fans to have involved a return to North Yankton), a return to Liberty City, and a single-player DLC called Agent Trevor that got retooled into a multiplayer expansion.
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* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL5PPRrtyio This video]] goes into detail on unused beta content from the game.
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* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL5PPRrtyio This video]] goes into detail on unused beta content from the game.game, and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgmOqpLc1VM this one]] covers unused content from its expansions, ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheLostAndDamned The Lost and Damned]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheBalladOfGayTony The Ballad of Gay Tony]]''.
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** A large number of songs were cut from the soundtrack of the game. Names for the songs can be found in the "american.gxt" database. Tuff Gong Radio was also originally called Babylon, and another station, Head Radio, was cut from the finished game.
to:
** A large number of songs were cut from the soundtrack soundtracks of the game.game and its expansions. Names for the songs can be found in the "american.gxt" database. ''The Lost and Damned'' in particular has a lot of classic rock music that was cut, while ''The Ballad of Gay Tony'' likewise has a lot of cut dance and {{New Wave|Music}} songs. Tuff Gong Radio was also originally called Babylon, and another station, Head Radio, was cut from the finished game.game, and the songs added to Vladivostok FM in the expansions were originally supposed to be on a new station, Eurodance FM.
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** A golf minigame was cut, though animations for Niko are still in the code. It was ultimately included in ''The Ballad of Gay Tony''.
** Rockstar originally planned to bring the Rhino tank back in ''[=TLaD=]'', but chose not to, with only a few lines of code hinting at it.
** In ''[=TLaD=]'', there were plans to put a {{fight club|bing}} side mission in the Lost's clubhouse. This would ultimately show up in ''[=TBoGT=]''.
** ''[=TLaD=]'' was themed around motorcycles, but there were also plans for a different kind of bike, a BMX bicycle that one could take to a skate park included on the map. This was cut from the game.
** Malc and Stubbs originally had larger roles in ''[=TLaD=]'', including more missions from the both of them.
** A cut mission in ''[=TLaD=]'' involved the entire Lost MC getting into a police chase.
** Johnny in ''[=TLaD=]'' was supposed to have multiple outfits like Niko in the main game and later Luis in ''[=TBoGT=]''. In the final game, he's locked into one outfit, his leather biker jacket and jeans.
** In ''[=TBoGT=]'', Armando was originally supposed to be able to sell weapons to Luis, the way Little Jacob did for Niko in the main game and Terry did for Johnny in ''[=TLaD=]''.
** A character named Akeks Thornton was originally supposed to appear in ''[=TBoGT=]'', but was removed. Information on him describes him as the director of the CIA, an organization that was switched out for a fictional counterpart, the IAA, in ''GTA V''.
** Vehicles cut from ''[=TBoGT=]'' include the Robin (possibly inspired by the infamous Reliant Robin), a wrecked but fully drivable police car, and a large van.
** Weapons cut from ''[=TBoGT=]'' include a non-silenced version of the assault SMG and a full-auto version of the automatic shotgun.
** The ''[=TBoGT=]'' mission "Corner Kids" was originally a HoldTheLine mission where Luis, Armando, and Henrique waited for Tony to bail them out in a helicopter, instead of fighting through bad guys to get to a getaway car.
** There were supposed to be more random encounter side missions in ''[=TBoGT=]'' involving Luis' PsychoExGirlfriend Margot, but they were trimmed down to just two.
** Rockstar originally planned to bring the Rhino tank back in ''[=TLaD=]'', but chose not to, with only a few lines of code hinting at it.
** In ''[=TLaD=]'', there were plans to put a {{fight club|bing}} side mission in the Lost's clubhouse. This would ultimately show up in ''[=TBoGT=]''.
** ''[=TLaD=]'' was themed around motorcycles, but there were also plans for a different kind of bike, a BMX bicycle that one could take to a skate park included on the map. This was cut from the game.
** Malc and Stubbs originally had larger roles in ''[=TLaD=]'', including more missions from the both of them.
** A cut mission in ''[=TLaD=]'' involved the entire Lost MC getting into a police chase.
** Johnny in ''[=TLaD=]'' was supposed to have multiple outfits like Niko in the main game and later Luis in ''[=TBoGT=]''. In the final game, he's locked into one outfit, his leather biker jacket and jeans.
** In ''[=TBoGT=]'', Armando was originally supposed to be able to sell weapons to Luis, the way Little Jacob did for Niko in the main game and Terry did for Johnny in ''[=TLaD=]''.
** A character named Akeks Thornton was originally supposed to appear in ''[=TBoGT=]'', but was removed. Information on him describes him as the director of the CIA, an organization that was switched out for a fictional counterpart, the IAA, in ''GTA V''.
** Vehicles cut from ''[=TBoGT=]'' include the Robin (possibly inspired by the infamous Reliant Robin), a wrecked but fully drivable police car, and a large van.
** Weapons cut from ''[=TBoGT=]'' include a non-silenced version of the assault SMG and a full-auto version of the automatic shotgun.
** The ''[=TBoGT=]'' mission "Corner Kids" was originally a HoldTheLine mission where Luis, Armando, and Henrique waited for Tony to bail them out in a helicopter, instead of fighting through bad guys to get to a getaway car.
** There were supposed to be more random encounter side missions in ''[=TBoGT=]'' involving Luis' PsychoExGirlfriend Margot, but they were trimmed down to just two.
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** If Rockstar faced too many problems with censorship, then they were plans to make two versions of the game. One was the M-rated game we ultimately got, and the second was a censored, T-rated version for more restrictive markets where the sex, violence, and swearing were edited, including having pedestrians be unkillable but instead knocked unconscious and get up a short time later in an "injured" state. The censors never complained, so the M-rated version was the only one they made.
to:
** If Rockstar faced too many problems with censorship, then they there were plans to make two versions of the game. One was the M-rated game we ultimately got, and the second was a censored, T-rated version for more restrictive markets where the sex, violence, and swearing were edited, including having pedestrians be unkillable but instead knocked unconscious and get up a short time later in an "injured" state. The censors never complained, so the M-rated version was the only one they made.
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* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'':
** The game was originally supposed to have areas based on [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkState upstate New York and Long Island]]. This was scrapped early in development, though references to an area called "[[ShoutOut the]] [[Literature/TheGreatGatsby Carraways]]" (presumably based on the Hamptons) still exist in the final product and in the [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheLostAndDamned expansion]] [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheBalladOfGayTony packs]].
** Additionally, a large number of songs were cut from the soundtrack of the game. Names for the songs can be found in the "american.gxt" database.
** The game was originally supposed to have areas based on [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkState upstate New York and Long Island]]. This was scrapped early in development, though references to an area called "[[ShoutOut the]] [[Literature/TheGreatGatsby Carraways]]" (presumably based on the Hamptons) still exist in the final product and in the [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheLostAndDamned expansion]] [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheBalladOfGayTony packs]].
** Additionally, a large number of songs were cut from the soundtrack of the game. Names for the songs can be found in the "american.gxt" database.
to:
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'':
''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL5PPRrtyio This video]] goes into detail on unused beta content from the game.
** The game was originally supposed to have areas based on [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkState upstate New York and Long Island]]. This was scrapped early in development, though references to an area called "[[ShoutOut the]] [[Literature/TheGreatGatsby Carraways]]" (presumably based on the Hamptons) still exist in the final product and in the [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheLostAndDamned expansion]] [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheBalladOfGayTonypacks]].
packs]]. Road signs also point to neighborhoods called "Hedgebury" and "Goatherd" that was removed from the final game. Other unused areas found in the game files include places called Anger Bay, Frogtown, Jefferson Heights, Norfolk, and Richmond.
**Additionally, A beta version of the map that appears on a phone book reveals that the airport originally had three runways instead of two, and that Alderney was larger, with a nature area in its northwest.
** The Beechwood Park neighborhood was originally called Grayfords, and Outlook Park was originally Overlook Park.
** The Statue of Happiness, the game's parody of the Art/StatueOfLiberty, was originally called the Statue of Freedom and more straightforwardly based on its real-life counterpart, with a similar face rather than one modeled after UsefulNotes/HillaryRodhamClinton and a torch in her hand instead of a cup of coffee (both of which were added in [[TakeThat response]] to Clinton's comments criticizing the series after the "Hot Coffee" scandal).
** A large number of songs were cut from the soundtrack of the game. Names for the songs can be found in the "american.gxt" database. Tuff Gong Radio was also originally called Babylon, and another station, Head Radio, was cut from the finished game.
** Some businesses were renamed as production went on. For instance, Well-Stacked Pizza became Pizza This, [=SuperRugman=] became Easy Lay Carpet, the Rockstar Cafe became the Superstar Cafe, and Magnum Helitours became Higgins Helitours. Roman's taxi company was also originally a limo company.
** Niko was originally able to enter more restaurants and order food from them, such as Mr. Fuk's Rice Box (which winds up only appearing in one mission), Fanny Crab's, and multiple Cluckin' Bell locations, and stop at ice cream vendors. He could also visit barbershops and get different haircuts.
** There were plans for a jewelry store and a bank to show up in missions that were ultimately cut.
** There was originally a way for Niko to purchase a new cell phone. Instead, he's given a new phone after he reaches Algonquin. The developers also considered giving the phone an [=MP3=] player to let players listen to music on foot, but this was scrapped.
** It was originally possible to buy drugs.
** Niko's character was based on Vladimir Mashkov's character Sasha in ''Film/BehindEnemyLines'', and originally, Rockstar worked with Mashkov himself to have him play the character. However, it didn't work out, with Mashkov later saying that he didn't take the project seriously enough. Rockstar went with the American actor Michael Hollick to play him instead.
** Niko's default outfit originally came with fingerless gloves. This one actually became a meme among ''GTA'' fans after it was removed.
** Flyable planes were originally part of the game, but after the map was cut down, Rockstar removed them, feeling that they had little use in a more compact city environment.
** Other cut vehicles include a coach bus, a version of the Boxville van used by NOOSE, a tow truck, and an unnamed SUV.
** Cars were originally supposed to have unique, randomly generated license plate numbers (which they did in ''San Andreas'' and would again in ''GTA V''), but in the final game, they all have the same plate. Vehicle modification (ditto) was also cut because the developers thought it wouldn't feel natural for a character like Niko to drive a flamboyant RiceBurner.
** There was originally a bus service that Niko could use to get around the city like subway, as well as a ferry service running from Algonquin to Happiness Island.
** Scrapped weapons include a revolver, a silenced pistol, a nightstick (carried by the police), a pool cue (which would show up in ''The Lost and Damned''), a flamethrower, and a minigun. Body armor was also originally visible on Niko.
** The mission "Bull in a China Shop" originally had Niko actually going into the shop, smashing items, and assaulting its owner in order to extort him as opposed to just breaking the windows, and ended with Vlad asking Niko to deliver a bottle of vodka to the shop owner as an apology gift.
** Snow was originally supposed to be in the game, but got removed in favor of an autumn setting.
** There were originally minigames involving outer space and zombies, the latter titled "Z: Resurrection" and ultimately showing up in the finished game as the name of a movie seen on posters. Unused animations and dialogue suggest that they were video games that could be played as activities with Niko's friends.
** The game was originally supposed to have areas based on [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkState upstate New York and Long Island]]. This was scrapped early in development, though references to an area called "[[ShoutOut the]] [[Literature/TheGreatGatsby Carraways]]" (presumably based on the Hamptons) still exist in the final product and in the [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheLostAndDamned expansion]] [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheBalladOfGayTony
**
** The Beechwood Park neighborhood was originally called Grayfords, and Outlook Park was originally Overlook Park.
** The Statue of Happiness, the game's parody of the Art/StatueOfLiberty, was originally called the Statue of Freedom and more straightforwardly based on its real-life counterpart, with a similar face rather than one modeled after UsefulNotes/HillaryRodhamClinton and a torch in her hand instead of a cup of coffee (both of which were added in [[TakeThat response]] to Clinton's comments criticizing the series after the "Hot Coffee" scandal).
** A large number of songs were cut from the soundtrack of the game. Names for the songs can be found in the "american.gxt" database. Tuff Gong Radio was also originally called Babylon, and another station, Head Radio, was cut from the finished game.
** Some businesses were renamed as production went on. For instance, Well-Stacked Pizza became Pizza This, [=SuperRugman=] became Easy Lay Carpet, the Rockstar Cafe became the Superstar Cafe, and Magnum Helitours became Higgins Helitours. Roman's taxi company was also originally a limo company.
** Niko was originally able to enter more restaurants and order food from them, such as Mr. Fuk's Rice Box (which winds up only appearing in one mission), Fanny Crab's, and multiple Cluckin' Bell locations, and stop at ice cream vendors. He could also visit barbershops and get different haircuts.
** There were plans for a jewelry store and a bank to show up in missions that were ultimately cut.
** There was originally a way for Niko to purchase a new cell phone. Instead, he's given a new phone after he reaches Algonquin. The developers also considered giving the phone an [=MP3=] player to let players listen to music on foot, but this was scrapped.
** It was originally possible to buy drugs.
** Niko's character was based on Vladimir Mashkov's character Sasha in ''Film/BehindEnemyLines'', and originally, Rockstar worked with Mashkov himself to have him play the character. However, it didn't work out, with Mashkov later saying that he didn't take the project seriously enough. Rockstar went with the American actor Michael Hollick to play him instead.
** Niko's default outfit originally came with fingerless gloves. This one actually became a meme among ''GTA'' fans after it was removed.
** Flyable planes were originally part of the game, but after the map was cut down, Rockstar removed them, feeling that they had little use in a more compact city environment.
** Other cut vehicles include a coach bus, a version of the Boxville van used by NOOSE, a tow truck, and an unnamed SUV.
** Cars were originally supposed to have unique, randomly generated license plate numbers (which they did in ''San Andreas'' and would again in ''GTA V''), but in the final game, they all have the same plate. Vehicle modification (ditto) was also cut because the developers thought it wouldn't feel natural for a character like Niko to drive a flamboyant RiceBurner.
** There was originally a bus service that Niko could use to get around the city like subway, as well as a ferry service running from Algonquin to Happiness Island.
** Scrapped weapons include a revolver, a silenced pistol, a nightstick (carried by the police), a pool cue (which would show up in ''The Lost and Damned''), a flamethrower, and a minigun. Body armor was also originally visible on Niko.
** The mission "Bull in a China Shop" originally had Niko actually going into the shop, smashing items, and assaulting its owner in order to extort him as opposed to just breaking the windows, and ended with Vlad asking Niko to deliver a bottle of vodka to the shop owner as an apology gift.
** Snow was originally supposed to be in the game, but got removed in favor of an autumn setting.
** There were originally minigames involving outer space and zombies, the latter titled "Z: Resurrection" and ultimately showing up in the finished game as the name of a movie seen on posters. Unused animations and dialogue suggest that they were video games that could be played as activities with Niko's friends.
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None
Added DiffLines:
The ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' series comprises some of the biggest games of their respective console generations. Even with how much wound up in the finished games, however, some parts ultimately didn't make it into the final products. The GTA Wiki has [[https://gta.fandom.com/wiki/Beta_Releases a list]] of so-called "beta releases" detailing content cut from the games.
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoClassic'':
** At one point, the original game was [[http://web.archive.org/web/20100714103007/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/215761/creating-his-living-world-in-a-box/ conceived]] as a ''[[VideoGame/TheSims Sims]]''-esque open sandbox world that had the player interacting with '''dinosaurs''' that walk around the streets of a city.
** Later on in development, the game was called ''[[https://gta.fandom.com/wiki/Race%27n%27Chase Race'n'Chase]]'' and allowed players to take the role of either the cops or the criminals.
** Vehicles cut from the game include a helicopter, a SWAT van, and a red sports car.
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto2'':
** Weapons that were programmed, but ultimately cut from the game, include a "microwave" gun that fried everybody in the direction it was aimed in, an instant-detonating version of the vehicle bomb, and an [[StaticStunGun electric baton]].
** Weapons and items that were never implemented but were on the developers' wish list include binoculars, a sniper rifle, a "dummy tracker" that directed enemies to target somebody else (and was intended for use in multiplayer), tear gas, and caltrops for cars (referred to as "stingers").
** Early builds of the game had neighborhoods called Chernobyl Docks, Romanova, Azimuth, Barking, and Kyabetsu.
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUI0moGiNuw This video]] goes into detail on an early design document of the game from December 2000 that was released in 2021, and the differences between it and the final version of the game.
** A UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast version of the game was in the works initially, but the console's lack of processing power led Rockstar to instead shift their development efforts to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2.
** One of the most famous pieces of cut content from the game was [[https://gta.fandom.com/wiki/Darkel Darkel,]] a {{hobo|s}} revolutionary who would have given the player missions that involved causing chaos, death, and destruction throughout the city, such as [[BadHumorTruck rigging an ice cream truck with explosives]] and using it to attract people before detonating it. He was cut from the game late enough in development that his voice actor Bill Fiore is still listed in the credits, with some of his missions retooled into gang warfare missions (the aforementioned ice cream truck mission, for instance, became an attack on a gang instead) and plot-free [[SpreeKiller Rampages]], leading to speculation that he was [[DistancedFromCurrentEvents cut due to 9/11]] and fear that the game would be glamorizing terrorism. Rockstar would later deny this, [[https://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/51974aa3a99a59/grand-theft-auto-iii-your-questions-answered-part-one-claude-dar.html stating in 2011]] that it was because they felt he didn't mesh well with the other characters in the game (the final game notably never has the player deliberately killing civilians in the main story, only rival criminals). This hasn't stopped [[UrbanLegendOfZelda urban legends]] from circulating about the alleged content of his missions, including claims that one of them involved blowing up [[BusFullOfInnocents a school bus full of children]].
** Mission involving killing customers at Forelli restaurants in order to ruin their businesses were cut for the same reason: civilians were not to be targets in missions, only criminals.
** Rockstar originally planned to bring back characters and gangs from previous games, including Bubba and Brother Marcus from [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoClassic the first game]] and the Zaibatsu Corporation from ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto2 GTA2]]'', before electing to set the game in a separate continuity.
** Other characters cut from the game include a pimp named JJ (with an accompanying side mission), the elderly Yakuza leader Toshiro who was connected to the Zaibatsu Corporation, a prostitute named Trixie who worked for Luigi like Misty did, a military man named Major Hale (possibly retooled[=/=]{{decomposite|Character}}d into both Phil Cassidy and Donald Love), and the real-life German musician Tom Novy AsHimself (whose song, originally supposed to appear on Head Radio, was also cut).
** The plot was initially kicked off by a gang called the Masks attacking Claude and his heist crew, and then serving as major antagonists who would attack and ambush Claude throughout the game. This was retooled into Claude's girlfriend and accomplice Catalina betraying him for the Colombian cartel. The Yakuza were also originally responsible for the bombing on the bridge that frees Claude, not the Colombians.
** 8-Ball, known only by his nickname in the final game, originally had a real name, Mullin, while Mickey Hamfists was originally nicknamed "Muscles". The Leone crime family was also originally called the Sorvinos, the Triads were originally the Thongs, Salvatore Leone was originally Frankie, Chunky Lee Chong was originally Chunky Dave, Asuka was originally Kemuri, and Toni Cipriani's last name was originally Fucile.
** Maria Latore originally had a backstory as a former college student who became a stripper to pay her tuition, only for Salvatore to take a liking to her and make her his TrophyWife, one who feels that she's living in a GildedCage. The final game removes this backstory and makes her relationship with Salvatore one where [[GoldDigger she's using him for his money]], and ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas San Andreas]]'' reveals that she instead met Salvatore as a waitress at his Las Venturas casino, Caligula's Palace.
** Claude was originally voiced, but Rockstar decided to later make him a [[TheVoiceless silent protagonist]] so that players could more easily put themselves in his shoes.
** There was originally an [[MultipleEndings alternate ending]] where Claude could spare Catalina and leave her to be arrested instead.
** The drug Spank was originally called Rapture.
** Several vehicles had different names initially. The Kuruma was originally called the Sentinel, a name that was instead assigned to a vehicle originally called the Beamer. The Moonbeam and Blista vans were originally called the Aster and the Space, the Perennial station wagon was originally the Maurice, the Manana compact car was originally the Ariant, the Idaho sedan was originally the Hachura, the Bobcat pickup was originally the U-Jerk, and the Banshee, Cheetah, Infernus, and Stinger sports cars were originally the Rumbler, the Rocket, the Dyablo, and the Shark.
** Cars cut from the game include the Panto (based on a Fiat 128), a tanker-trailer, a forklift, an armored vehicle called the PHUQU-2 that resembled a Stryker AFV, a school bus, and a car resembling a Volkswagen Bug.
** Police vehicles were originally blue-and-white, but this was changed to black-and-white in order to avoid similarities to the real-life [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops NYPD]]'s vehicles after 9/11.
** The Diablos originally used custom Infernuses as their gang car instead of custom Stallions.
** Weapons cut from the game include a golf club, a crowbar, a magnum handgun, a silenced pistol and Uzi, a minigun, and a satchel charge.
** There was originally a first-person mode, which was shown off in a ''Game Informer'' preview.
** Areas cut from the game include a power plant, chemical plant, and city park in Portland, a cruise ship port in Staunton Island, a skate park, country club, military base, and facilities (including housing and testing facilities) of the Zaibatsu and Morning Star corporations in Shoreside Vale, and a prison island separate from the rest of the city where the intro would take place. The airport was originally located in Staunton Island before being moved to Shoreside Vale, the used car dealership was moved from Shoreside Vale to Portland. Also, there were originally planned to be various interior locations like bars, nightclubs, strip clubs, restaurants, and theaters to explore, with the final game instead only showing building interiors in cutscenes.
** There was originally a ferry system connecting the game's three islands, a feature that would later be implemented in ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoLibertyCityStories Liberty City Stories]]''.
** Initially, there were to be only five radio stations available at the start of the game, with two more unlocked when the player reached Staunton Island and the last one unlocked with Shoreside Vale. In the final game, all radio stations are unlocked right from the start. There were also plans for a CountryMusic station that didn't make the cut.
** There were originally ideas for using cash to not only buy weapons and progress through the game, but also to purchase health items at pharmacies along with unique cars.
** Traffic violations (speeding, running red lights, crashing into other cars) originally gained the player a wanted level.
** There were ideas for pedestrians who witness a crime to run to a phone booth to call the police, earning players a wanted level unless they stopped the pedestrian first. This idea would later be reused in ''VideoGame/TheWarriors''.
** The day/night cycle was originally planned to have an effect on gameplay beyond just an aesthetic one. The atmosphere would turn seedier at night as more criminals came out, traffic would increase during rush hour in the early morning and late afternoon, and some missions would be easier or harder as a result.
** There were ideas for a multiplayer component, with deathmatch, race, stunt race, and tag modes.
** If Rockstar faced too many problems with censorship, then they were plans to make two versions of the game. One was the M-rated game we ultimately got, and the second was a censored, T-rated version for more restrictive markets where the sex, violence, and swearing were edited, including having pedestrians be unkillable but instead knocked unconscious and get up a short time later in an "injured" state. The censors never complained, so the M-rated version was the only one they made.
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity'':
** The game was [[https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/exploring-grand-theft-auto-vice-citys-lasting-impact-on-gamer-culture-with-rockstars-leslie-benzies/ originally intended]] as an ExpansionPack for ''GTA III'', with new weapons, vehicles, and missions. The developers realized that the content they had planned was enough to create an entire separate game, and so they spun it off into ''Vice City''.
** The Gator Keys were an area based on the Florida Keys that was originally supposed to be part of the map.
** Multiple characters' names were changed. Ricardo Diaz was originally named Fernando Diaz, Cam Jones was originally Mike Jones, BJ Smith was originally BJ Jones, and Avery Carrington was originally Sergio.
** Pastor Richards and Donald Love originally had larger roles in the game.
** Lance Vance originally didn't [[spoiler:betray Tommy at the end]].
** A former associate of Tommy Vercetti named Mr. Moffat was originally part of one mission.
** There are numerous cut phone conversations between Tommy and Mercedes that were cut from the final game, but are still in the files.
** Cut vehicles include an '80s version of the Kuruma sedan, the Dodo airplane, a civilian version of the Patriot truck, and a unique Coast Guard version of the Maverick helicopter (likely retooled into the VCN Maverick, which is still called the "COASTMAV" in the game's files).
** Police cars were originally white with red and blue stripes, resembling the Miami Beach Police Department's cars instead of the green-and-white cars of the Miami-Dade Police Department that the game ultimately went with.
** One of Tommy's outfits was originally a biker outfit called "MC Tommy".
** The biker clubhouse was originally a property that Tommy could purchase.
** The mission "All Hands on Deck!" originally involved Cortez's yacht being attacked by [[DirtyCommunists the Shining Path]] instead of the French secret service.
** The radio stations originally included a news station called VCN.
** Cut weapons include land mines, a grenade launcher, a taser, a nail gun, a Steyr AUG, a Desert Eagle, a silenced 9mm, and a silver Colt 1911.
** In a very strange case, tear gas was available as a weapon in the first copies of the game, just to be removed completely in later editions.
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'' has [[WhatCouldHaveBeen/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas its own page]].
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'':
** The game was originally supposed to have areas based on [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkState upstate New York and Long Island]]. This was scrapped early in development, though references to an area called "[[ShoutOut the]] [[Literature/TheGreatGatsby Carraways]]" (presumably based on the Hamptons) still exist in the final product and in the [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheLostAndDamned expansion]] [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheBalladOfGayTony packs]].
** Additionally, a large number of songs were cut from the soundtrack of the game. Names for the songs can be found in the "american.gxt" database.
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'':
** Rockstar originally had [[https://comicbook.com/gaming/2019/07/28/gta-5-online-grand-theft-auto-v-dlc-story/ single-player expansions]] in the works that would have [[AndTheAdventureContinues continued the story]] of the game's protagonists, including a new casino heist and a ZombieApocalypse-themed expansion similar to ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemptionUndeadNightmare''. However, the ObviousBeta state of the game's multiplayer mode, ''GTA Online'', at launch necessitated lots of work to fix it, and furthermore, ''GTA Online'' went on to become an unexpectedly massive CashCowFranchise, causing Rockstar to redirect its post-launch support to adding new multiplayer content. Some of the things they were planning to add to single-player through expansions, including the casino, would be retooled into multiplayer expansions instead.
** Similarly to the previous game, a large portion of the soundtrack was cut from the final release. Some of the cut song names can be found in the "trackID.gxt2" database, while others were found [[https://gtaforums.com/topic/678397-the-gta-v-beta-hunt/page/247/?tab=comments#comment-1070099238 in a since-destroyed prototype of V revealed on GTAForums.]]
----
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoClassic'':
** At one point, the original game was [[http://web.archive.org/web/20100714103007/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/215761/creating-his-living-world-in-a-box/ conceived]] as a ''[[VideoGame/TheSims Sims]]''-esque open sandbox world that had the player interacting with '''dinosaurs''' that walk around the streets of a city.
** Later on in development, the game was called ''[[https://gta.fandom.com/wiki/Race%27n%27Chase Race'n'Chase]]'' and allowed players to take the role of either the cops or the criminals.
** Vehicles cut from the game include a helicopter, a SWAT van, and a red sports car.
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto2'':
** Weapons that were programmed, but ultimately cut from the game, include a "microwave" gun that fried everybody in the direction it was aimed in, an instant-detonating version of the vehicle bomb, and an [[StaticStunGun electric baton]].
** Weapons and items that were never implemented but were on the developers' wish list include binoculars, a sniper rifle, a "dummy tracker" that directed enemies to target somebody else (and was intended for use in multiplayer), tear gas, and caltrops for cars (referred to as "stingers").
** Early builds of the game had neighborhoods called Chernobyl Docks, Romanova, Azimuth, Barking, and Kyabetsu.
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUI0moGiNuw This video]] goes into detail on an early design document of the game from December 2000 that was released in 2021, and the differences between it and the final version of the game.
** A UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast version of the game was in the works initially, but the console's lack of processing power led Rockstar to instead shift their development efforts to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2.
** One of the most famous pieces of cut content from the game was [[https://gta.fandom.com/wiki/Darkel Darkel,]] a {{hobo|s}} revolutionary who would have given the player missions that involved causing chaos, death, and destruction throughout the city, such as [[BadHumorTruck rigging an ice cream truck with explosives]] and using it to attract people before detonating it. He was cut from the game late enough in development that his voice actor Bill Fiore is still listed in the credits, with some of his missions retooled into gang warfare missions (the aforementioned ice cream truck mission, for instance, became an attack on a gang instead) and plot-free [[SpreeKiller Rampages]], leading to speculation that he was [[DistancedFromCurrentEvents cut due to 9/11]] and fear that the game would be glamorizing terrorism. Rockstar would later deny this, [[https://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/51974aa3a99a59/grand-theft-auto-iii-your-questions-answered-part-one-claude-dar.html stating in 2011]] that it was because they felt he didn't mesh well with the other characters in the game (the final game notably never has the player deliberately killing civilians in the main story, only rival criminals). This hasn't stopped [[UrbanLegendOfZelda urban legends]] from circulating about the alleged content of his missions, including claims that one of them involved blowing up [[BusFullOfInnocents a school bus full of children]].
** Mission involving killing customers at Forelli restaurants in order to ruin their businesses were cut for the same reason: civilians were not to be targets in missions, only criminals.
** Rockstar originally planned to bring back characters and gangs from previous games, including Bubba and Brother Marcus from [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoClassic the first game]] and the Zaibatsu Corporation from ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto2 GTA2]]'', before electing to set the game in a separate continuity.
** Other characters cut from the game include a pimp named JJ (with an accompanying side mission), the elderly Yakuza leader Toshiro who was connected to the Zaibatsu Corporation, a prostitute named Trixie who worked for Luigi like Misty did, a military man named Major Hale (possibly retooled[=/=]{{decomposite|Character}}d into both Phil Cassidy and Donald Love), and the real-life German musician Tom Novy AsHimself (whose song, originally supposed to appear on Head Radio, was also cut).
** The plot was initially kicked off by a gang called the Masks attacking Claude and his heist crew, and then serving as major antagonists who would attack and ambush Claude throughout the game. This was retooled into Claude's girlfriend and accomplice Catalina betraying him for the Colombian cartel. The Yakuza were also originally responsible for the bombing on the bridge that frees Claude, not the Colombians.
** 8-Ball, known only by his nickname in the final game, originally had a real name, Mullin, while Mickey Hamfists was originally nicknamed "Muscles". The Leone crime family was also originally called the Sorvinos, the Triads were originally the Thongs, Salvatore Leone was originally Frankie, Chunky Lee Chong was originally Chunky Dave, Asuka was originally Kemuri, and Toni Cipriani's last name was originally Fucile.
** Maria Latore originally had a backstory as a former college student who became a stripper to pay her tuition, only for Salvatore to take a liking to her and make her his TrophyWife, one who feels that she's living in a GildedCage. The final game removes this backstory and makes her relationship with Salvatore one where [[GoldDigger she's using him for his money]], and ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas San Andreas]]'' reveals that she instead met Salvatore as a waitress at his Las Venturas casino, Caligula's Palace.
** Claude was originally voiced, but Rockstar decided to later make him a [[TheVoiceless silent protagonist]] so that players could more easily put themselves in his shoes.
** There was originally an [[MultipleEndings alternate ending]] where Claude could spare Catalina and leave her to be arrested instead.
** The drug Spank was originally called Rapture.
** Several vehicles had different names initially. The Kuruma was originally called the Sentinel, a name that was instead assigned to a vehicle originally called the Beamer. The Moonbeam and Blista vans were originally called the Aster and the Space, the Perennial station wagon was originally the Maurice, the Manana compact car was originally the Ariant, the Idaho sedan was originally the Hachura, the Bobcat pickup was originally the U-Jerk, and the Banshee, Cheetah, Infernus, and Stinger sports cars were originally the Rumbler, the Rocket, the Dyablo, and the Shark.
** Cars cut from the game include the Panto (based on a Fiat 128), a tanker-trailer, a forklift, an armored vehicle called the PHUQU-2 that resembled a Stryker AFV, a school bus, and a car resembling a Volkswagen Bug.
** Police vehicles were originally blue-and-white, but this was changed to black-and-white in order to avoid similarities to the real-life [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops NYPD]]'s vehicles after 9/11.
** The Diablos originally used custom Infernuses as their gang car instead of custom Stallions.
** Weapons cut from the game include a golf club, a crowbar, a magnum handgun, a silenced pistol and Uzi, a minigun, and a satchel charge.
** There was originally a first-person mode, which was shown off in a ''Game Informer'' preview.
** Areas cut from the game include a power plant, chemical plant, and city park in Portland, a cruise ship port in Staunton Island, a skate park, country club, military base, and facilities (including housing and testing facilities) of the Zaibatsu and Morning Star corporations in Shoreside Vale, and a prison island separate from the rest of the city where the intro would take place. The airport was originally located in Staunton Island before being moved to Shoreside Vale, the used car dealership was moved from Shoreside Vale to Portland. Also, there were originally planned to be various interior locations like bars, nightclubs, strip clubs, restaurants, and theaters to explore, with the final game instead only showing building interiors in cutscenes.
** There was originally a ferry system connecting the game's three islands, a feature that would later be implemented in ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoLibertyCityStories Liberty City Stories]]''.
** Initially, there were to be only five radio stations available at the start of the game, with two more unlocked when the player reached Staunton Island and the last one unlocked with Shoreside Vale. In the final game, all radio stations are unlocked right from the start. There were also plans for a CountryMusic station that didn't make the cut.
** There were originally ideas for using cash to not only buy weapons and progress through the game, but also to purchase health items at pharmacies along with unique cars.
** Traffic violations (speeding, running red lights, crashing into other cars) originally gained the player a wanted level.
** There were ideas for pedestrians who witness a crime to run to a phone booth to call the police, earning players a wanted level unless they stopped the pedestrian first. This idea would later be reused in ''VideoGame/TheWarriors''.
** The day/night cycle was originally planned to have an effect on gameplay beyond just an aesthetic one. The atmosphere would turn seedier at night as more criminals came out, traffic would increase during rush hour in the early morning and late afternoon, and some missions would be easier or harder as a result.
** There were ideas for a multiplayer component, with deathmatch, race, stunt race, and tag modes.
** If Rockstar faced too many problems with censorship, then they were plans to make two versions of the game. One was the M-rated game we ultimately got, and the second was a censored, T-rated version for more restrictive markets where the sex, violence, and swearing were edited, including having pedestrians be unkillable but instead knocked unconscious and get up a short time later in an "injured" state. The censors never complained, so the M-rated version was the only one they made.
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity'':
** The game was [[https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/exploring-grand-theft-auto-vice-citys-lasting-impact-on-gamer-culture-with-rockstars-leslie-benzies/ originally intended]] as an ExpansionPack for ''GTA III'', with new weapons, vehicles, and missions. The developers realized that the content they had planned was enough to create an entire separate game, and so they spun it off into ''Vice City''.
** The Gator Keys were an area based on the Florida Keys that was originally supposed to be part of the map.
** Multiple characters' names were changed. Ricardo Diaz was originally named Fernando Diaz, Cam Jones was originally Mike Jones, BJ Smith was originally BJ Jones, and Avery Carrington was originally Sergio.
** Pastor Richards and Donald Love originally had larger roles in the game.
** Lance Vance originally didn't [[spoiler:betray Tommy at the end]].
** A former associate of Tommy Vercetti named Mr. Moffat was originally part of one mission.
** There are numerous cut phone conversations between Tommy and Mercedes that were cut from the final game, but are still in the files.
** Cut vehicles include an '80s version of the Kuruma sedan, the Dodo airplane, a civilian version of the Patriot truck, and a unique Coast Guard version of the Maverick helicopter (likely retooled into the VCN Maverick, which is still called the "COASTMAV" in the game's files).
** Police cars were originally white with red and blue stripes, resembling the Miami Beach Police Department's cars instead of the green-and-white cars of the Miami-Dade Police Department that the game ultimately went with.
** One of Tommy's outfits was originally a biker outfit called "MC Tommy".
** The biker clubhouse was originally a property that Tommy could purchase.
** The mission "All Hands on Deck!" originally involved Cortez's yacht being attacked by [[DirtyCommunists the Shining Path]] instead of the French secret service.
** The radio stations originally included a news station called VCN.
** Cut weapons include land mines, a grenade launcher, a taser, a nail gun, a Steyr AUG, a Desert Eagle, a silenced 9mm, and a silver Colt 1911.
** In a very strange case, tear gas was available as a weapon in the first copies of the game, just to be removed completely in later editions.
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'' has [[WhatCouldHaveBeen/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas its own page]].
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'':
** The game was originally supposed to have areas based on [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkState upstate New York and Long Island]]. This was scrapped early in development, though references to an area called "[[ShoutOut the]] [[Literature/TheGreatGatsby Carraways]]" (presumably based on the Hamptons) still exist in the final product and in the [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheLostAndDamned expansion]] [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheBalladOfGayTony packs]].
** Additionally, a large number of songs were cut from the soundtrack of the game. Names for the songs can be found in the "american.gxt" database.
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'':
** Rockstar originally had [[https://comicbook.com/gaming/2019/07/28/gta-5-online-grand-theft-auto-v-dlc-story/ single-player expansions]] in the works that would have [[AndTheAdventureContinues continued the story]] of the game's protagonists, including a new casino heist and a ZombieApocalypse-themed expansion similar to ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemptionUndeadNightmare''. However, the ObviousBeta state of the game's multiplayer mode, ''GTA Online'', at launch necessitated lots of work to fix it, and furthermore, ''GTA Online'' went on to become an unexpectedly massive CashCowFranchise, causing Rockstar to redirect its post-launch support to adding new multiplayer content. Some of the things they were planning to add to single-player through expansions, including the casino, would be retooled into multiplayer expansions instead.
** Similarly to the previous game, a large portion of the soundtrack was cut from the final release. Some of the cut song names can be found in the "trackID.gxt2" database, while others were found [[https://gtaforums.com/topic/678397-the-gta-v-beta-hunt/page/247/?tab=comments#comment-1070099238 in a since-destroyed prototype of V revealed on GTAForums.]]
----
