• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Gameranx

Gameranx

Video Game News, Lists & Guides

  • News
  • Features
  • Platforms
    • Xbox Series X
    • PS5
    • Nintendo
  • Videos
  • Upcoming Games
  • Guides

Grand Theft Auto Cinematic Camera Origins Revealed

January 8, 2025 by Dennis Patrick

Former Rockstar Games dev reveals how the iconic camera perspective came to fruition.

Rockstar Games had brought out a real heavy hitter when they released Grand Theft Auto 3. The video game saw a huge overhaul, delivering a new 3D perspective aspect for the game franchise. Likewise, this was the start of a real craze for this franchise, with each new installment looking to top the last. We’re waiting for the next game to be released this year. However, a new report unveils how the iconic cinematic camera perspective came to fruition.

As mentioned, bringing the game from a top-down perspective was a big change for the franchise. Still, there were moments in the game that developers were not fond of despite the new camera perspective. Thanks to Obbe Vermeij, a former Rockstar Games developer, we’re learning how he incorporated a new camera perspective simply because he found a train ride in Grand Theft Auto 3 too boring for players to sit through.

When working on the train in gta3 I found riding it boring.
I considered letting the player jump ahead to the next station but this would cause streaming issues.

Instead, I made the camera switch between random viewpoints near the track. This made the ride more interesting.… pic.twitter.com/pcl0Kd5ewo

— Obbe Vermeij (@ObbeVermeij) January 7, 2025

Obbe Vermeij has been with Rockstar Games for years and helped bring out several iconic installments for the franchise. On X, Obbe noted that he was working on a train ride in Grand Theft Auto 3, but the time it took for players to reach the destination was too long. Initially, the idea was to allow players to skip the ride altogether.

However, this proved to be impossible as it would create streaming issues. As a result, the next step was to make the train ride a little more interesting. A new camera was introduced to switch between different viewpoints around the track. From there, another developer suggested a similar feature for cars.

The developers found this perspective entertaining, whether viewing the car driving around the streets near the viewpoint of a wheel or from chasing cars. Since then, the perspective has continued to find its way into different Grand Theft Auto installments.

We’ll have to see how this camera behaves in Grand Theft Auto VI, but we’re still waiting to see when we’ll get our hands on this game. Earlier today, we reported that developers are still using marketing materials to highlight a 2025 release, so we should still receive the game before 2026 rolls around.

Share this post:

FacebookTwitterLinkedInPinterest

Recent Videos

Mortal Shell 2 - Before You Buy

Mortal Shell 2 - Before You Buy

No Man's Sky: 10 YEARS LATER

No Man's Sky: 10 YEARS LATER

Open World Games That DON'T FEEL EMPTY

Open World Games That DON'T FEEL EMPTY

Hell Let Loose Vietnam - Before You Buy

Hell Let Loose Vietnam - Before You Buy

GTA 6 CEO ON GAMEPLAY, PHANTOM BLADE ZERO LOOKS INSANE & MORE

GTA 6 CEO ON GAMEPLAY, PHANTOM BLADE ZERO LOOKS INSANE & MORE

Onimusha Way of the Sword: 10 Things You NEED TO KNOW

Onimusha Way of the Sword: 10 Things You NEED TO KNOW

Ghost Recon Wildlands (2026) - Before You Buy

Ghost Recon Wildlands (2026) - Before You Buy

Why GTA 6 Gameplay Is Coming To NETFLIX First

Why GTA 6 Gameplay Is Coming To NETFLIX First

20 Games That We Are ADDICTED to Right Now

20 Games That We Are ADDICTED to Right Now

Category: UpdatesTag: Grand Theft Auto, Grand Theft Auto 3, Rockstar Games

Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Rumor: Xbox IP Sequel By An External Studio Will Be Revealed At GamesCom
  • Simu Liu Claims Sleeping Dogs Movie Has A “Real Path Forward,” Currently Making A Deal With Square Enix
  • Nintendo Makes Achievements Real With A Card Set You Can Earn If You Complete All DK Challenges On Switch 2
  • Rumor: LEGO Are Making Super Mario Minifigures After All
  • Kingdom Hearts The Series Introduces A New Story To Disney +, With Tetsuya Nomura & Square Enix Working With Disney

Copyright © 2026 · Gameranx · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme