Grand Theft Auto Trilogy just got a massive update, new Classic Lighting Mode improves visuals

Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition is a 2021 compilation that includes the franchise's first three iconic open-world games: Grand Theft Auto III (2001), Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002), and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004).

However, these highly anticipated remasters were not received well at the time and felt like the opposite of 'Definitive' thanks to bugs, poor AI-generated textures, and visuals that felt like a massive departure from the original games.

Two main criticisms echoed by fans and critics alike were the dramatic shift from stylized lighting and the complete removal of all fog effects. With no fog and an increased draw distance, the previously massive open world of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas felt small. On top of that, the yellow and orange look of the GTA's West Coast was missing.

Today, Rockstar has released a surprise 7GB+ update for the GTA Trilogy or PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The update includes "numerous fixes and improvements" and a new "Classic Lighting mode" that restores the look of the original games.

Fans are grateful for the new lighting and the return of the fog. However, there's a lot more to this update than a couple of new visual upgrades; Rockstar's patch notes simply state that the update brings "numerous fixes and improvements" to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy, so the community has taken up the mantle of pointing out these numerous changes.

@BeskInfinity on X, a GTA expert, has outlined a handful of the changes after checking out the update: buildings and neon lighting in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City now resemble their original versions. Character models and animation for bike riding and drinking in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas have all been fixed and updated. Fire, glass, and other effects look better. You can pause the game during cinematic sequences and run around while shooting shotguns and assault rifles. The list goes on.

Grove Street Games, the developers of the original Definitive Edition release, have had their logo removed from the introduction splash screen, which points to this update coming directly from Rockstar - who have seemingly gone in to fix the disastrous initial release themselves.