Here’s What GTA 5 Looks Like When Compressed to 2.5GB

A talented gamer online has massively compressed the PC version of Grand Theft Auto 5, bringing it down to just a tiny 2.5 GB file size. To do so, they’ve had to cut tons of content and make some serious cuts to Grand Theft Auto 5’s graphical fidelity, resulting in a game that looks completely different from what gamers will recognize.

Although it was released back in 2013, Grand Theft Auto 5 is still widely regarded as one of the best open-world games ever made. The game stands the test of time and continues to enjoy massive player count numbers thanks to the success of GTA Online. In terms of scale, there are certainly bigger open-world games on the market, but when it comes to detail, few games can compare to GTA 5, even over 12 years later.

Grand Theft Auto 5 Has Been Compressed to 2.5 GB, and It Even Runs on a 2015 Netbook

X user OptiJogos shared footage from their Grand Theft Auto 5 mod, which has compressed the over-120 GB file size down to just 2.5 GB. To do so, they’ve had to make the game almost unrecognizable, removing 98% of the content. This includes missions, audio, and large chunks of the map, but as OptiJogos points out, “the game still works after all these cuts.” Footage of the game in this state is choppy, running at a very low frame rate. It’s certainly fun to watch – all the details of the textures are gone, the player falls through the map constantly, and character models are reduced to giant blobs with block colors. They even show footage of them driving around Los Santos, which surprisingly still works pretty well when the car isn’t struggling to navigate the half-removed terrain. Most of the map landmarks are still intact in the form of vague shapes, so a player who knows the map pretty well could still get around pretty well if they can avoid falling into the void.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)
Medium (5.0s)
Hard (2.5s)
Permadeath (2.5s)

Start

Restart
Back

Results

0

High Score: 0

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Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)Start

RestartBack

Results

0

High Score: 0
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In a follow-up post, OptiJogos also showed the mod running on a 2015 netbook at around 20 FPS, which is surprisingly playable. It’s hard to say exactly how much fun it would be to play this mod, but the creator included a download link in the X thread for those who want to try it for themselves. OptiJogos thinks they can go even further in future updates to the mod, and it’s difficult to see how much more could be cut from the game without it still being recognizable as Grand Theft Auto 5.

Considering Grand Theft Auto 5 does not have official modding tools from Rockstar, it’s interesting to see just how much talented modders have been able to do with the game. Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar haven’t always been as lenient as other companies when it comes to modding, with various high-profile Grand Theft Auto 5 mod projects being shut down over the years. Considering how many other games have reaped the benefits of embracing modding communities in the past, it’s somewhat surprising to see this approach. Regardless, modders persevere.

Excitement continues to build for Grand Theft Auto 6, which has been delayed several times but now seems locked in on a November 19, 2026, release date. Gamers still only have two official trailers for the game, and every frame of both has been surgically analyzed by fans since their release. The good news is that it seems Rockstar will finally ramp up GTA 6’s marketing over the summer, offering a deeper insight into what fans can expect when the series returns to Vice City later this year.