Content Changes

Before the release of any Grand Theft Auto game, there were features that were removed from the final product. These changes range from deleted vehicles and player skins to the removal of entire characters and mission strands.

GTA III

File:GTAIII cop cars.jpg

The original GTAIII police cars (top), and the police cars from the released game (bottom).

• The LCPD police vehicle liveries were changed from then-current NYPD blue with white stripes to LAPD-style black and white.
• The character of Darkel, a revolutionary domestic terrorist, was cut. (Some, but not all, of his missions were subsequently given to other characters.)
• A mission that involved flying the Dodo was cut.
• Certain player skins, accessible with cheat codes, were removed.
• The ability to blow limbs off of non-playable characters was cut, but only from the PS2 version of the game.
• Elderly pedestrians with walkers were removed.
• Children and a driveable school bus were cut.
• Novy was cut as a protagonist.

Some of these changes are thought to have been as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, although others were made well before that time.

GTA Vice City

• The police cars were originaly white with red and blue stripes.
• Fort Baxter Air Base originaly included an air traffic control tower and a runway. The runway is totally absent, but the tower can still be seen in the distance from Vice Beach.
• Grenade Launcher, Tazer, and Landmine weapons were cut.
• Tommy Vercetti was older and bigger in build.
• The Infernus had thin rectangles for its headlights and tailights.
• A character called Mr. Moffat was originaly going to be in the game but was cut.

GTA San Andreas

• Characters including Officer Carver, Larry and Poncho were removed.
• Both Sweet and Big Smoke originally looked different. Sweet was originally dressed in black and wore a black beanie. Big Smoke wore a white jersey and did not wear a hat, exposing his shaved head.
• Originally, if Carl Johnson killed a pedestrian, a news van would arrive and the crew would report on the event.
• If Carl crashed into a lamp post a mechanic would arrive to fix it. If the player killed the mechanic the lamp post would remain broken for a time, even if the player left the immediate area.
• Gang members looked different and wore different clothing.
• Animals that would roam the rural areas were cut.

GTA Liberty City Stories

• Toni Cipriani looked older.
• The Police car was blue but was changed to black.
• The Liberty News would show cutscenes.
• There was a golden PCJ-600.
• Toni's casual clothes was a green shirt with a purple vest.
• There was a orange landstalker