Rockstar Gamesis one of the most prolific and well-known developers in the video game space, mostly due to their creation of theGrand Theft Autoseries. Yet, despite their success, and the occasional port of their games over to PC after it’s been on consoles for a while,Rockstar Gamesstill has yet to bring over official ports and remasters for some truly iconic games.
Keep in mind that we’re looking at games thatdon’t have official PC releasesfrom Rockstar Games. Some of these games are available to play on PC due to emulators and ROMs, but they aren’t official, so they still meet the criteria for this list.
BeforeRed Dead Redemption, there wasRed Dead Revolver.This game is technically thefirst in theRed Deadseries. Much like the other games in theRed Deadseries,Red Dead Revolveris an action-adventure and third-person shooter set during the era of cowboys on the American Frontier.
Red Dead Revolverreceived average reviews upon release, along with moderate sales, but the game is important, as without it,Red Dead Redemptionand its sequel would not have existed. However, it isn’t as memorable or noteworthy as the other games in theRed Deadseries, so it’s no surprise that it never got a PC release.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Warswasn’t the firstGTAgame released on handheld platforms, but it was the first to incorporate gimmicks and handheld controls that would exclusively benefit the Nintendo DS. With the game mostlydesigned around the DS handheld, controls and features that were implemented would focus on the touchscreen, microphone, and stylus.
There are some key differences between the Nintendo DS and the PSP versions ofChinatown Wars. The DS version was stylized with a cell-shaded look that made the art design particularly unique, but this was removed from the PSP version, as were the features that used the DS mechanics. The Android and iOS versions had their own mechanics, such as on-screen touch controls, so all of these mechanical differences make it obvious why this title hasn’t come to PC.
6Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis
Rockstar Games Table Tennis Simulator That Doesn’t Exactly Fit in the 2024 Market
Rockstar Games threw a curveball at the video game industry when they announcedRockstar Games Presents Table Tennisfor a May 2006 release. Seeing as theGrand Theft Autogames were their biggest franchise, a table tennis game seemed to come from nowhere. That being said, the developers went all out with their table tennis title, and it was well received.
Players praised the attention to detail, impressive visuals, and the fun, replayable nature of the table tennis simulator. It even received a Nintendo Wii port that made use of the Nunchuk controllers to allow players to get an even more realistic table tennis experience, but PC was left out of the equation, most likely because the game didn’t compliment PC play as opposed to the physicality of the Wii-mote.
Midnight Club: Los Angeleswas the last game in theMidnight Clubdriving and racing game series. The series was mostly developed and published by Rockstar Games andits various divisions, and the game itself holds a special place in the hearts of those who adore the Midnight Club era thanks to its potential as a racing game and open-street design.
With dynamic weather, an abundance of street-racing vehicles, and explorative zones in a city that never sleeps, it’s shocking that this title hasn’t come to PC, as another racing game on the market is always welcome.
The two games in theGTA Storiesseries were both initially released on the PSP before receiving PlayStation 2 ports. They are also different from theChinatown Warsgame in that the controls aren’t specifically designed for a handheld console.
Vice City Storieswas definitely a fun and engagingGTAtitle that had somekey differences to the tried and testedGTAstructure, so it would be interesting to see if Rockstar ever revisits it by bringing out an official PC port for one of its many crime-riddled stories.
Liberty City Storieswas the first handheldGTArelease, and it paved the way for the likes ofVice City StoriesandChinatown Wars. It is also the first 3D handheldGTAgame, so there is no doubt that this game was something of a trailblazer, and liked enough to warrant a PlayStation 2 port and later an Android and iOS port.
Despite positive reviews from fans and critics, and an incredible sales record for the PSP,Liberty City Storiesremains in the past and has not been transferred over to PC, joining the growing list ofGTAgames that are inevitably going to be forgotten without the evolving PC market.
The Warriorsis one of the best-licensed games for the PS2, and it is also a Rockstar Games title that is often overlooked due to the star power of theGrand Theft Autoseries. Originally released on the PlayStation 2 before getting a PSP port a year and a half later,The Warriorsis a beat-em-up and survival action-adventure game that’s as immersive as it is true to the original film of the same name.
There are tons of fans who are nostalgic forThe Warriorsgame, so a PC port could happen in the future. However, the often overlooked nature of the game means that it will likely continue to be ignored in favor of expanding theGTAseries, or due to the licensing issues present for not owning the franchise.
Despite being one of Rockstar Games’s most prolific and successful video games, the firstRed Dead Redemptionhas yet to receive an official PC port. The game - whichfollows gunslinger John Marstonon his quest to save his family and redeem his criminal past - has made quite the impression since it was released in 2010. Often included in lists of the best video games of all time,Red Dead Redemptionsignificantly surpassed its predecessorRed Dead Revolver, and established its own legacy, so why isn’tRed Dead Redemptionon PC?
Dedicating the time to a PC port might be the reason, as technological difficulties are not worth the hassle for a game like this when Rockstar is full-steam ahead with the creation ofGrand Theft Auto 6. It’s unknown whyRDRisn’t on PC, but with the remaster on PS4 and Nintendo Switch, perhaps there is hope yet for fans to see John Marston ride onto PC.
