GTA San Andreas is coming to Game Pass sooner than you hoped

Get ready to party like it’s 2001. Rockstar Games has finally revealed a release date for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — Definitive Edition, and it’s coming up awfully soon. And if you’re already an Xbox Game Pass member, you’re in luck. One of the three games, GTA San Andreas, will be available as part of Microsoft’s subscription service starting November 11.

If you’re keen to dive into Liberty City, Vice City, and San Andreas as soon as possible, there are two dates worth bearing in mind: November 11 and December 7. The trilogy will be available digitally starting in November, with physical releases for the trilogy and PlayStation Now access (only for GTA III) planned for the following month. Here’s the breakdown:

November 11

• Digital release for PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store on Xbox, Nintendo eShop, and Rockstar Games Launcher
• Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The Definitive Edition Available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers

December 7

• Physical release for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One
• Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition available to PlayStation Now subscribers

We already knew the trilogy was coming to multiple platforms — a mobile port for iOS and Android will be out next year — but that day-one Game Pass availability for San Andreas is a tasty new morsel of info. It’s another feather in the cap for what’s widely described as the “best deal in video games,” and it’s sure to leave a certain segment of Sony ponies feeling a little bit salty.

What’s new — The games in GTA Trilogy: Definitive Edition aren’t full-blown remakes, but they do bring a number of very welcome quality-of-life changes to these classic games. These includes — as has been reported in recent weeks — what Rockstar describes as “GTA V-inspired modern controls.”

In an October 22 post on Rockstar Newswire, the developer spelled out these enhancements as follows:

• Improvements to targeting and lock-on aiming
• Updated Weapon and Radio Station Wheels
• Updated Mini-Maps with enhanced navigation allowing players to set waypoints to destinations
• Updated Achievements and Trophies
• Nintendo Switch-specific controls including Gyro aiming, as well as touch screen camera zooming, pans, and menu selections
• The PC version includes support for NVIDIA DLSS and additional new Accomplishments via the Rockstar Games Social Club
• Scross-the-board visual enhancements such as resolution upgrades and improved visual fidelity across the world
• A completely rebuilt lighting system; improved shadows, weather, and reflections
• Upgraded character and vehicle models; along with new higher resolution textures across buildings, weapons, roads, interiors, and more
• Environmental upgrades including all-new foliage, smoother surfaces, and increased draw distances to provide a new level of depth and clarity throughout the world

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — Definitive Edition will be available digitally on November 11.