Rockstar Games is one of the most prolific and well-known developers in the video game space, mostly due to their creation of the Grand Theft Auto series. Yet, despite their success, and the occasional port of their games over to PC after it’s been on consoles for a while, Rockstar Games still has yet to bring over official ports and remasters for some truly iconic games.
Keep in mind that we’re looking at games that don’t have official PC releases from 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.
8 Red Dead Revolver
The Origins of the Red Dead Series, Left Behind on PS2/Xbox
Before Red Dead Redemption, there was Red Dead Revolver. This game is technically the first in the Red Dead series. Much like the other games in the Red Dead series, Red Dead Revolver is an action-adventure and third-person shooter set during the era of cowboys on the American Frontier.
Red Dead Revolver received average reviews upon release, along with moderate sales, but the game is important, as without it, Red Dead Redemption and its sequel would not have existed. However, it isn’t as memorable or noteworthy as the other games in the Red Dead series, so it’s no surprise that it never got a PC release.
7 Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Grand Theft Auto For the Handheld Market
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars wasn’t the first GTA game 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 mostly designed 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 of Chinatown 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.
6 Rockstar 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 announced Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis for a May 2006 release. Seeing as the Grand Theft Auto games 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.
5 Midnight Club: Los Angeles
A Detailed Racing Game Remains on the Streets of PS3 and Xbox 360
Midnight Club: Los Angeles was the last game in the Midnight Club driving and racing game series. The series was mostly developed and published by Rockstar Games and its 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.
4 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
The Prequel to Vice City That Only PlayStation Fans Experienced
The two games in the GTA Stories series were both initially released on the PSP before receiving PlayStation 2 ports. They are also different from the Chinatown Wars game in that the controls aren’t specifically designed for a handheld console.
Vice City Stories was definitely a fun and engaging GTA title that had some key differences to the tried and tested GTA structure, 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.
3 Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
The Original Handheld GTA Game That Never Embarked to PC
Liberty City Stories was the first handheld GTA release, and it paved the way for the likes of Vice City Stories and Chinatown Wars. It is also the first 3D handheld GTA game, 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 Stories remains in the past and has not been transferred over to PC, joining the growing list of GTA games that are inevitably going to be forgotten without the evolving PC market.
2 The Warriors
A Licensed and Overlooked Rockstar Game
The Warriors is 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 the Grand Theft Auto series. Originally released on the PlayStation 2 before getting a PSP port a year and a half later, The Warriors is 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 for The Warriors game, 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 the GTA series, or due to the licensing issues present for not owning the franchise.
1 Red Dead Redemption
One of the Greatest Westerns of All Time, Remastered, But Never For PC
Despite being one of Rockstar Games’s most prolific and successful video games, the first Red Dead Redemption has yet to receive an official PC port. The game – which follows gunslinger John Marston on 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 Redemption significantly surpassed its predecessor Red Dead Revolver, and established its own legacy, so why isn’t Red Dead Redemption on 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 of Grand Theft Auto 6. It’s unknown why RDR isn’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.