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October 20, 2026

Grand Theft Auto IV: Why GTA 4 Went Darker

Dan Houser says GTA 4 turned dark because San Andreas maxed out its pop energy.

Speaking to IGN, the former Rockstar writer said San Andreas took that pop energy as far as it could go. GTA had to reinvent itself to stay relevant. He says the art direction, moody lighting and missions all felt cohesive.

On Steam today, the Complete Edition sits at 83 percent positive across more than 206,000 reviews.

Our read: GTA 4 is not as popular as San Andreas or GTA 5, but the gamble kept the series from repeating itself. That reinvention still holds up.

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