GTA: Vice City and GTA III Beta Ports Now Playable on Sega Dreamcast

GTA: Vice City Beta Port Arrives on Sega Dreamcast Alongside GTA III The Grand Theft Auto franchise continues to capture the imagination of gamers worldwide, and now, two of its most acclaimed entries—GTA: Vice City and GTA III—are playable in beta form on the Sega Dreamcast.

Thanks to the dedicated efforts of developer Falco Girgis and the team led by SKMP, these unofficial ports mark a breakthrough for Sega's 128-bit console. GTA: Vice City, originally launched by Rockstar Games in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 and later released on PC and Xbox, has sold more than 17.5 million copies across all platforms.

Its immense popularity set a high bar for technically demanding open-world games, challenging developers to push the limits of the hardware it appeared on.

The Dreamcast, discontinued in 2001, never officially hosted a Grand Theft Auto game, making this porting effort particularly noteworthy within the retro gaming community. New Enhancements and Community Support Falco Girgis, who announced the beta release, explained that the Dreamcast version now supports advanced graphical settings, such as 2xFSAA for improved image smoothness, and a video mode capable of outputting to a 24-bit per pixel framebuffer, significantly increasing color depth and visual richness.

Girgis highlighted the collaborative spirit fueling the project: "While there is still substantial work ahead in terms of features, assets, and optimizing performance, I am incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished in just a few months," he shared.

The task was widely regarded as unattainable for the Dreamcast, and Girgis called it an honor and privilege to work alongside such dedicated developers. He also credited the Sega Dreamcast and Grand Theft Auto communities for their pivotal role in testing and troubleshooting both GTA: Vice City and the prior GTA III beta.

“The support, diligence, and ongoing feedback from our community have made it possible to bring these games to life on the Dreamcast, ensuring gameplay is smooth and fully playable.

We genuinely couldn’t have achieved this milestone without their input,” Girgis stated. Technical Background and Development Timeline The ports are built using KallistiOS, an open-source operating system that enables homebrew development on the Dreamcast.

The project, initially spearheaded by SKMP, made headlines in 2024 with the surprise announcement and rapid progress of the GTA III Dreamcast port.

Video demonstrations of GTA: Vice City running on Dreamcast hardware have showcased steady improvements, including the integration of audio and refined graphics, even as development remains ongoing. Looking Forward Players interested in experience these beta builds can now try out both GTA: Vice City and GTA III on original Sega Dreamcast hardware.

The achievement not only highlights the enduring legacy of Grand Theft Auto but also shines a spotlight on Sega’s console, demonstrating the impressive feats modern developers can achieve two decades after its initial release.

For detailed instructions and updates, enthusiasts can visit the official development pages and community forums. With both games now in beta, the Dreamcast once again proves its enduring appeal for retro and homebrew enthusiasts, while the Grand Theft Auto series cements its reputation as a platform-defying staple of gaming history.

GTA III Sega Dreamcast Falco Girgis SKMP Sega Dreamcast Grand Theft Auto