A new free mod for Grand Theft Auto IV breathes fresh life into the early PS3-era open-world game and its aging visuals, making the dated blockbuster look almost as impressive as some modern releases.
Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto IV launched on Xbox 360, PS3, and (eventually) PC all the way back in 2008. While the console versions were great and are fondly remembered to this day by fans, the PC release was a mess that was often cited as one of the worst AAA ports of that era. But thanks to some official updates and the hard work of fan modders, GTA IV is very playable on PC in 2025. It even runs well on Steam Deck. And a newly released path tracing mod makes the nearly two-decade-old crime simulator look incredible on a sufficiently powerful computer.
Created by modder Xoxor4d, GTA4 RTX Remix is a mod that adds gorgeous path-traced lighting to the game via Nvidia’s RTX Remix tech. This mod doesn’t change any textures or swap in any higher-res assets. This is still mostly Grand Theft Auto IV from 2008. But now every light source, like headlights and the sun, reacts more naturally with the objects and environments around them.
What this mod pulls off without changing any geometry or textures is impressive and, at times, near-photorealistic, as seen in this video that was released when the mod was still locked behind a paywall. And it’s especially impressive when compared side-by-side to the OG game.
GTA4 RTX Remix is a great example of how realistic, advanced lighting can make even older games look far more impressive. To me, this is the tech I want to see game developers and console makers focusing on as the next big thing. I don’t need 8K resolution or 240 FPS. I want accurate shadows and light bouncing off surfaces naturally. As seen in Half-Life and other older games, this kind of tech can make games look truly next-gen.
Technically, GTA4 RTX Remix has been floating around online for a few months now, but it was only available to folks who subscribed to the mod creator’s Patreon page. However, last week, after it had been thoroughly tested, the mod was made public for all to download and enjoy for free. You can grab it from Xoxor4d’s GitHub page, where the modder has instructions on how to install the mod and how to make it work with the popular GTA IV mod Fusion Fix.
While it ain’t perfect, Nico’s head is far too shiny, for example, I still think anyone wanting to replay Grand Theft Auto IV in 2025 should get this mod and Fusion Fix working together to experience the best version of the game. Who needs Rockstar to remaster GTA IV when fans are doing it already and for free? Just be prepared for some FPS drops if you are playing on an older PC or don’t use DLSS.
