Fans in conflict when the original GTA trilogy is withdrawn from sale

Existing versions of Grand Theft Auto 3, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas will be removed from digital storefronts today, and many fans are in conflict with the move.

As announced when GTA Trilogy: The Definitive Edition was revealed, Rockstar will be removing older versions from all digital stores today, October 11. The developer has not explained its exact reasoning for the move. As of this writing, the original games are still available on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox, but it’s unclear for how long. We have contacted Rockstar to find out if there is a specific time when the games will be withdrawn from sale.

The decision to remove the original games has sparked a lot of discussion, particularly around the issue of video game preservation. Games, particularly those in the legendary state of the GTA series, are both pieces of history for the medium and interactive experiences, and reducing access to them is detrimental to the ability of future players and developers to play and learn from them.

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Another concern among fans is the order in which all of this is happening. The Definitive Edition versions of the games do not yet have a firm release date, and very few details about their content have been revealed. Many fans are upset that they cannot choose between the older versions or the newer ones. While the hope is that the games will look better and play better, we currently only have Rockstar’s word to continue.

Another big concern for many fans is how the Definitive Editions will handle licensed music. Previous GTA Trilogy re-releases have seen sections of its now-iconic soundtracks removed due to expired licenses and some are concerned the same could happen here, with Rockstar quietly on that point. The result is that many fans feel compelled to buy the older versions, in case the newer ones don’t live up to expectations later this year.

There is also the very real possibility that new versions of the games will be significantly more expensive than previous versions. UK retailer Base.com is currently listing ‘full price’ pre-order RRP, ie £ 60 for the latest generation versions and £ 70 for the current generation. It is unclear whether these are Rockstar’s recommended prices (although it agrees with Take Two owner’s views on next-gen pricing) or Base’s own estimates; we’ve contacted Base for feedback. If it’s legit, many will view the removal of older versions as a cynical attempt to get new players to pay a lot more for games.

With no updates on a release date, or even when we see the Definitive Edition games for the first time, many fans are taking this last chance to buy the older versions of the games, but the fact that they feel the need to do so is a issue many feel like Rockstar should never have forced them on in the first place.

Joe Skrebels is IGN’s executive news editor. Follow him on Twitter. Do you have any advice for us? Do you want to discuss a possible story? Send an email to [email protected].