Portals spotted between GTA 3, Vice City and San Andreas

Q: How does Dryxio run GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas simultaneously using the same process?

Dryxio runs all three games inside the same process by having them share a single Direct3D device, so the GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas instances are rendered within the portals while running on the same hardware.

Q: Can I walk or play as my character inside the nested GTA game portals shown in the clip?

Yes. The clip shows modder Dryxio running through a portal and taking control of their character inside the nested GTA game, then moving back through the portal. The demonstration also shows shooting through a portal with bullets hitting targets in real time.

Q: Does shooting through a portal affect NPCs in the other GTA game in real time?

Yes. The article states the modder Dryxio demonstrates shooting through a portal at NPCs and the bullets hit the target in real time, meaning he can shoot across one GTA game into another and affect NPCs immediately.

A Grand Theft Auto modder has spawned portals between GTA III, San Andreas, and Vice City, enabling teleportation between each of the games.

Jak Connor

Tech and Science Editor

Published Jul 22, 2026 2:20 AM CDT

1-minute read time

TL;DR: Modder Dryxio created portals linking GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas, letting a player run between games, control characters inside each nested instance, and shoot through portals with real-time effects; all three games run in one process sharing a Direct3D device, demonstrating Rockstar's engine flexibility.

Voice: Jak ConnorSpeed

0:00 / 2:06

After showcasing the sheer power of modding through running a fully playable copy of GTA III on a television texture inside GTA: San Andreas, the modder Dryxio has demonstrated another feat in GTA modding: portals between GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas.

If you thought the playable versions of GTA inside GTA were impressive, this will certainly raise your eyebrows, as Dryxio shared the above clip to his personal X account and showed three portals, each leading to different GTA games.

Dryxio demonstrates he is able to run directly through the portal and pick up playing as their character in that nested GTA game, and then move back through the portal. Additionally, Dryxio showcases he is able to shoot through a portal at NPCs, and the bullets hit the target in real-time, meaning Dryxio is able to shoot across a GTA game at a target. Could this be a world first?

For those interested in how this is possible, Dryxio explains that all three games are running in the same process, sharing one Direct3D device, meaning these instances of GTA are actually running within these portals - all on the same hardware.

So, why would you do this? For absolutely no reason other than "why not?" The only real application of this mod is a demonstration of how flexible Rockstar's engines are in the hands of a modder who is determined to bring an idea to reality, despite many regarding it as foolish or a waste of time.

Frequently Asked Questions

TweakBot answers common questions about this news using TweakTown's own coverage from this page and related content from our archive. Tap a question to reveal the answer, or type your own below.

Question #1

How does Dryxio run GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas simultaneously using the same process?

Question #2

Can I walk or play as my character inside the nested GTA game portals shown in the clip?

Question #3

Does shooting through a portal affect NPCs in the other GTA game in real time?

Question #4

What technical mechanism allows the three GTA instances to share one Direct3D device?

Dryxio explains that all three games are run in the same process and share a single Direct3D device. This allows the instances of GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas to render within the portals and operate on the same hardware.

Answered

Have a question not listed here? Ask below and TweakBot will answer it.