Beta Releases

Before the release of any Grand Theft Auto game, there were features that were removed from the final product. These changes range from deleted vehicles and player skins to the removal of entire characters and mission strands.

Grand Theft Auto

 * Accessible Trams were removed early in the games development for San Andreas city.
 * Originally, the Superbike was supposed to be called "Bike".
 * The antenna was removed from TV Van.
 * Limousine was called Limo.
 * Tanker was called "Hi Explosive Truck", later "Explosives Truck".
 * SWAT Van was cut from GTA. However, it can be seen in the official site in section "Special Cars".

Grand Theft Auto II

 * A weapon called the "Microwave" was removed.
 * A weapon called the "Instant Vehicle Bomb" was removed.
 * A weapon called the "ElectroBaton" was removed.

Grand Theft Auto III


Characters
 * Claude's appearance went through many different designs. Some screenshots show a poorly detailed Claude, who looks completely different from the final version. Other pictures show a more final Claude with different hair and a chubbier appearance.
 * The character Curtly was cut.
 * The character Darkel was cut.
 * Tom Novy was meant to make an appearance in the game as himself, but was removed along with his song, "Back to the Streets" for unknown reasons.
 * 8-Ball's real name was going to be Mullan, and was a white person, has shown on alpha screenshots.
 * Joey Leone's original surname was Sorvino.
 * Salvatore's original name was Frankie Sorvino.
 * Asuka Kasen's original name was Kemuri.
 * Maria Latore originally wore a leopard print crop top and black miniskirt with hoop earrings with jewellery and had longer hair.
 * The Triads originally sported black outfits and had tattoos.
 * Toni Cipriani originally wore a brown sweater and looked completely different.
 * There was a character called Butler but he never made the final cut, no one knows what his purpose was but many believe he was Salvatore Leone's butler.
 * Misty originally wore a black miniskirt, red bra and a white jacket with gold high heels.
 * The FBI had a different uniform.

Weapons
 * The Land Mine was cut.
 * The Baseball Bat originally was red and yellow, with a red grip.

Peds
 * Elderly pedestrians with walkers were removed.
 * Children were planned for the game.
 * Police Officers had mustaches, which can actually be seen in the game's instruction manual.
 * Fire Fighters had yellow uniforms.
 * Buskers were cut/disabled from the game and later introduced in GTA IV. Existence of buskers in GTA III, can be seen in default.ide file at the bottom line that says "#83, busker1, busker1, CIVMALE, STAT_BUSKER, man, 0" . Note that the " # " marks the line as "disabled"

Missions
 * Originally, when doing Vigilante, Paramedic, or Firefighter missions, the vehicles radio could go out of range - requiring the player to drive closer to the nearest police station/hospital/fire station.
 * Originally, most of the missions could not be taken at any time, since the leaders were busy. Example extracted from the files: "Toni's taken his Momma to the opera - Call in some other time!"

City
 * The city during development stage (see picture) was very different than the finished version and has more streets and roads.
 * Punk Noodles was originally just with a small grass park with two statues. The statue model still exists in the game's files.
 * The Callahan Bridge was going to be named West Port Bridge (taken from a sign in Atlantic Quay).
 * The Callahan Bridge also had two suspensions.
 * The airport was once in Staunton Island and there were many roads in Shoreside Vale. Callahan Bridge was also absent.
 * There were other area names that supposedly going to be included in the game. These are The Towers, Sewers, Swanksville, Projects, Luigi's Place, Little Italy and Industrial Park. Waterfront Promenade, Westport and Westport Bridge could be seen in some directions going to Trenton and Atlantic Quays.
 * 8-Ball's Garage was supposedly be in the area names on the screen (Observed in the archives of the PS2 version).
 * In the beta, the Hepburn Heights apartments were surrounded by metal fencing.
 * In the beta also, the Shoreside Lift Bridge has many roads leading to the bridge. However, a picture of GTA III has the beta picture without the lift bridge. It is possible that the Callahan Bridge took its place in the beta.
 * The trees in Hepburn Heights were also absent.
 * The Hope Medical College had the same size and width as the Sweeney General Hospital, being a perfect copy.

Gameplay
 * The Airtrain was originally destructible with weapons, much like the DeadDodo.
 * The ability to blow limbs off of non-playable characters was cut, but only from the PS2 version of the game.[] This can still be activated in the PS2 version via cheat codes.
 * Claude could originally run with the baseball bat.
 * Online multiplayer was cut.
 * Originally, if the player picked up money, the script showed how much money was just picked up. This feature still exists in files, and it's possible to enable it.
 * The beta HUD was different.

Graphics
 * The graphics were originally "cartoonish".[] (possibly due to a rumored cancelled Sega Dreamcast release)
 * A very early HUD was very different, there was a life bar instead of percentage.Gta3_29.jpg
 * The radar was light blue instead of orange.

Soundtrack
 * Tom Novy - Back to The Streets
 * AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

Others
 * In the recent interview about GTA III, the logo was used to be stencil font and other one, a pill-shaped logo similar to GTA 2 logo. Gta3_logo_01.jpg
 * Unused lines of text within the game's text files contain phrases, such as "You're perfectly healthy, get out of here!" and "I'll just fix you up". These lines of text seem to imply that the game's hospitals were, originally, accessible/usable.
 * The route of the aircraft was changed to not seem like it would pass too close to buildings (a consequence of 9/11).
 * The Rocket Launcher's original scope looked a lot like the one of sniper rifle.
 * Safehouses would gradually improve in their appearance as the player progressed and gained more money.
 * Head Radio had a different logo.
 * The Airtrain was destroyable.
 * Jesus Saves from GTA 2 was going to return but was replaced as safehouse. Head_radio_beta.jpg logo.]]

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Characters Missions
 * A character called Mr. Moffat was removed from the game.
 * Tommy Vercetti wore a dark blue Hawaiian shirt.
 * Ricardo Diaz was originally named Fernando Diaz.
 * BJ Smith was originally named BJ Jones.
 * Lance Vance originally wore a purple suit and a black under-shirt according to artwork.
 * Ken Rosenberg originally wore a light pink suit and a yellow under-shirt according to left-over files.
 * Sonny Forelli originally wore a light pink suit and a black under-shirt as seen from the artwork.
 * It is believed by some fans that trash collecting missions based on the Paramedic missions were in the beta.
 * A mission involving the removed character Mr. Moffat was cut.
 * An additional mission for the film studio asset, given by Steve Scott over the phone, was cut.
 * An additional mission for Avery Carrington, given by him over the phone, was cut.

City
 * Escobar International Airport originally was larger; replacing Fort Baxter Air Base with a extended runway, which also included an air traffic control tower, and a un-identified building along side.
 * In the intro of the game a plane can be seen landing on the curved runway, realistically, it is not possible to land like that, possibly hinting that a straight runway was present in the beta.
 * There was no stadium in the beta.
 * The northeast part of the beach didn&apos;t exist.
 * Vice Port originally had a waterway.
 * There are no shacks in the sea.
 * Some roads didn't exist in the beta version.
 * The facade of the Vercetti Estate was different, with square glass windows, yellow dye and without arches of marble.
 * There were no rocks and even the lighthouse was absent.
 * There were bus shelters around the city. The bus shelter model, bustopm.dff, is still inside Vice City's files.
 * The long road from the police station going to the Ammunation is absent in the beta map.
 * The deli across from the Little Havana Police Station had its large Exploder billboard replaced with a different, smaller one.
 * The North Point Mall wasn't in the beta version, there were only some buildings there.

Weapons
 * The MAC-10 was supposed to have a silencer.
 * A shorter version of the MP5, the MP5-K, was cut.
 * The Land Mine was cut.
 * The AK-47 was cut.
 * The Grenade Launcher was cut.
 * The Tazer was cut.
 * The Steyr Aug was cut.
 * When standing still Tommy was able to hold the Chainsaw with one hand.
 * The Ruger has a wooden color.
 * The Pump Action Shotgun from Grand Theft Auto III was also cut.
 * The Micro Uzi from Grand Theft Auto III was also cut again.
 * The Sniper Rifle was going to have an ammo clip.
 * The Combat Shotgun had a longer barrel.
 * The Silenced 9mm was cut.
 * The Silver Colt 1911 was cut.

Others
 * There were many phone conversations between Tommy and Mercedes Cortez.
 * There were many lines cut from characters such as Kent Paul, Umberto Robina, Ken Rosenberg, Mercedes Cortez, Mr. Moffat and BJ Smith in Sunshine Autos. []
 * Tires were able to be slashed and recorded into the stats.
 * The Haitian gangster who wears the blue shirt used to have a picture on the shirt instead of the word "Relax".
 * There was once a blond-haired prostitute with pigtails and a red skirt. She was supposed to appear around the streets of the Downtown area, and dance in the Malibu Club as shown in several trailers.
 * According to TXD files, a radio station named VCN (Vice City News) was cut late in the development.
 * According to three TXD files, a first person view was proposed.
 * The sky in the beta version was a darker blue.
 * The beta HUD was very different.
 * The radar originally had a more decent, gradient look.
 * The water was more light and reflective in the beta.
 * The SWAT team would have a bright blue uniform instead of dark blue.
 * The safehouse icon from Grand Theft Auto III was meant to appear.
 * The health and armor has a different color.
 * According to files found on the PS2 Disc, there is an Interior for the Inside Track Betting in Vice Point indicating that betting was initially for Vice City but delayed until San Andreas.
 * (Some of the Interior textures have actually been reused in San Andreas betting shop interiors)


 * There were several unused ped models. One man wearing a blue suit, one woman carrying a basket, another woman is wearing a orange shirt and another woman is carrying two shopping bags.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Out of all the Grand Theft Auto games, San Andreas may have had the most changes before release. The player was able to have uncensored sex, drink, and do drugs. There were many interiors that were left unused, though many remain in the game files. There were a considerable amount of missions cut, as well as numerous vehicles and character models.

Characters
 * Characters including Officer Carver, Larry and Poncho were removed.
 * Both Sweet and Big Smoke had their appearances changed. Sweet was originally dressed in black and wore a black skully, Big Smoke wore a white jersey and did not wear a hat, exposing his shaved head.
 * In the Strategy Guide, Jethro is seen in the mission Riot, suggesting he had a larger role.
 * Kendl Johnson's facial model and clothing were altered.
 * Mike Toreno has a different model.
 * Cesar Vialpando originally wore a black bandana and black pants.

Peds
 * Gang members looked different and wore different clothing.
 * Each city had their own unique motor officers, however the final version of the game uses the same model for each city. These beta officers still remain in the game files and can be spawned with trainers.
 * In gta3.img there are files foransed ped (likely taxi driver) and a female valet. Judging from the bad details of the valet, she was cut in the early stages of development.
 * There were also a psycho ped dressed in green sleeve jacket and camo pants. Even, there is a psycho person statistic in the game files with this name: STAT_PSYCHO.
 * Originally, the prostitute with a braid had short hair.
 * A female pedestrian was cut.
 * There were many pedestrians cut from the game. Some still exist in version 1.

Missions
 * There are many deleted missions which include The Truth is Out There and Impounded, or missions with different objectives which include Doberman, Photo Opportunity and Beat Down on B Dup.
 * Pulaski originally drove a Sentinel in High Noon instead of a Buffalo.
 * Fish in a Barrel was supposedly an actual mission instead of a more cutscene.
 * In Sweet's Girl, originally Sweet did not have a gun, so CJ escorted him out.
 * In Photo Opportunity, unused text implies that CJ hijacked and used a helicopter.
 * There was going to be a mission involving a search for Big Smoke.
 * There was going to be a different race in the Los Santos Stadium.
 * There were San Fierro Rifa gang tags. The texture is still in the game files.
 * Ryder was supposed to be killed on the pier, and T-Bone Mendez was supposed to escape on the boat but it was changed into the final version.
 * The locations for the snapshot icons (San Fierro collectible) and the horseshoes (Las Venturas collectible) were different in the beta version in comparison to the released version. This came from the original PS2 version of the Strategy Guide, which still used the original beta locations. However, this was changed for the Xbox and PC versions later on.
 * Rampages returning from GTA Vice City ware cut, their pickup model still exists in the game files.

City
 * The Mulholland Safehouse seemed to have a full interior that can be seen from the outside. The change on final version causes a glitch which allows the player to go through the wall.
 * Donut shops such as Rusty Brown's Ring Donuts were places where Carl Johnson could eat.
 * San Fierro in the beta had very few docks and more parks. The beta map of San Fierro was very detailed and can be seen in Driving School.
 * There were cars driving around the car parks and may park there in San Fierro. (Along the Valet car park)
 * Hankypanky Point was only a hilltop.
 * The construction yard near the hospital in Downtown Los Santos had a usable crane.
 * The Easter Basin Naval Base had a different outline, it had a dock and the ship is missing.
 * San Andreas was different and had several different land masses, such as a different San Fierro (which resembled San Francisco more closely) with more parks and less docks. A full beta map of San Andreas can be found on a wall in the Lil' Probe'Inn.
 * Santa Flora Medical Center had two helipads on its roof. These pads were most likely meant for the Maverick and Raindance that spawn there in the alpha. Oddly enough, these helipads were absent in the alpha, so the choppers simply spawned on the roof.
 * The Clown's Pocket casino was originally called The Ringmaster, its original name can still be seen on the paper map included inside the game box.
 * The village of Bayside didn't exist in the beta version.
 * The village of Dillimore was smaller in the beta version.
 * The Hunter Quarry was smaller in the beta version.
 * Some roads present in the Red County beta are absent in the final version.
 * According to the beta map, there was a small island in San Fierro Bay which was most likely based on Alcatraz.Beta_San_Fierro.jpg

Weapons
 * The Skateboard was cut.
 * The Parachute was originally smaller and blue (it can be seen in the demonstration video in Flight School showing how to control parachute).
 * According to early previews of the game, 150 weapons were originally included in-game but there is only 42 weapons in the final version.
 * The Micro-SMG was removed, it can be seen in early screenshots of the game.
 * The Micro-Uzi was originally more detailed.
 * The Hammer, Machete, Meat Cleaver and Sledgehammer were cut.
 * The Parachute icon was originally a bit different.
 * Many weapon icons were less detailed, as seen in the Strategy Guide.
 * The Jetpack and the cell phone originally had icons on the HUD like the other weapons.
 * As seen in the cutscene of the mission High Noon, the Shovel was going to be wooden and shorter.
 * The Camera was supposed to be white and slightly bigger, as seen in The Green Sabre.
 * An M16 was planned at one stage, it can be seen in the first Stowaway Cutscene, it uses the dirt64b instead of an actual weapon texture, like the PSG-1 and MP-5k.
 * The Nail Bat, M47 Dragon, PSG1, OA93, M72 LAW, M82 and MP5-K were cut.
 * An MP5SD and a weapon resembling one of the 7.62mm NATO Rifles were cut.
 * The Spray Can had another texture.

Others
 * Usable car-washes, similar to those in GTA IV, were cut.
 * The ability to ride the trolleys in San Fierro was cut.
 * Grand Theft Auto San Andreas was originally supposed to be on 2 DVDs.
 * It was possible to hear many vague sounds from your car if it was broken. These sounds can be heard from Rockstar Games's beta gameplay video or some of the trailers.
 * You can also hear many minor sounds included in beta release which are useless in the final game, but these files are still in GENRL file and can be enabled with mod tools.
 * The mobster who Carl kills in Saint Mark's was originally going to be called Marco Forelli but due to deleted audio, his name was never mentioned in the final version.
 * The Grove Street Families were originally going to be called The Orange Grove Families.
 * The Ballas were originally going to be called The Flats.
 * Pedestrians would walk into and out of accessible places like stores, clubs, etc. and GSF members would walk into and out of / hang out in your safehouses.
 * There was meant to be a trailer for the Roadtrain which was capable of pulling more trailers. The old model still exists in the game files and there's even a newer version under the name of 'artic3' however this is un capable of pulling other trailers.
 * Pool tables were originally going to be colored green instead of blue.
 * Carl Johnson was able to use drugs, which would make the camera wobble around making it more difficult to control CJ.
 * The ability to drink beer was cut from the final version.
 * Through the hidden interiors universe, unused brothels can be found, these were most likely to be placed on top of Strip Clubs.
 * Pre-release magazine articles showed that stealing cars was to be much more difficult. In early screen shots, car jacking was shown to involve smashing the car's window and then hot wiring it. This was all removed, possibly due to the limitations posed by the PS2. A similar system is present in HD Universe games.
 * Accorded to a strategy guide, adrenaline pills from previous GTA games were in the beta version. However their effect can still be activate with a cheat code. Model and textures for the pill can still be found in the game files.
 * According to a picture from the strategy guide, there was originally a pool table inside Madd Dogg's Mansion.
 * According to american.gxt, there were several phone calls and lines which were cut.
 * According to gta3.img, there are several more items of clothing available at the clothes stores, including t-shirts, trousers, caps and more - these were all in the game but not used.
 * There was a Boxcar that the Freight would presumably have pulled instead of, or in addition to the flatcars present in the final version. These still exist in the game, and can be modded onto a train with relative ease.
 * A path file exists for the railroad track into Easter Basin, suggesting that it was to feature at some point. This can be utilized through modifications.
 * When the player got busted in the last vehicle they drove, it could be stolen back from the Impound.
 * A cutscene depicting the drive-by that killed Beverly Johnson, including Sweet and Kendl's reactions, and Ryder shooting back at the Sabre, indicating that he was not originally involved with Big Smoke and C.R.A.S.H. in the killing.
 * Spike Strips was supposed to be in the game, but it can be see in the Driving School and mission Puncture Wounds.
 * The Tattoo shop had a different menu.
 * The Xoomer petroleum company was originally called Xenon. This can be seen in the game's internal files. Additionally, an LOD Xenon billboard can be seen in San Fierro, but it is only visible while the game's graphics are loading.

Grand Theft Auto Advance

 * The Barrel was cut from the final version.

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Characters
 * Joseph Daniel O'Toole's glasses were originally blue.
 * Toni Cipriani originally looked older.
 * Salvatore Leone had a different face.
 * The Avenging Angels originally wore a red hat instead of black as it can be seen in a pre-release screenshot with Toni Cipriani wearing a Avenging Angel's Fatigues.Miguel-GTALCSBeta.jpg
 * Miguel originally has the same outfit from Grand Theft Auto III.
 * Roger C. Hole was meant to appear in a suit in the mission A Walk in the Park. Textures and model still exist.
 * The Leones have different faces as it can seen in the PSP screenshot of the mission A Volatile Situation.Gtalcs06.jpg

Weapons
 * The Ruger was cut, but can be found in the PS2 files.
 * The Tear Gas was cut, but it can be accessed by Cheat Devices.

Missions
 * A screenshot suggests that Toni could wear the Leone's Suit when doing missions for JD.
 * Mission for Phil Cassidy was cut. Only HUD Icon remains.
 * Unknown Phone Missions were cut. Only HUD Icon remains. It is possible that the icon replaced the "S" from Salvatore phone missions.
 * After "Driving Mr. Leone", there would be a news report about Shoreside Lift Bridge and Porter Tunnel under construction.
 * A mission called Firetruck Frenzy was cut.
 * Massacres were cut.
 * A Mission called Mobile Massacre! was cut.
 * Assasination Contracts were cut.

Others
 * Toni's casual clothes were a light blue shirt with a green vest and boots.
 * The police wore black uniforms.
 * The SWAT team had the same design as in Grand Theft Auto III.
 * Player could buy properties. Only the HUD Icon remains.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Characters
 * Bryan Forbes originally had a mustache.
 * Lance Vance is shown wearing his outfit from the beginning of the game instead of his blue soiree suit on certain missions such as Burning Bridges, Blitzkrieg Strikes Again and Last Stand as seen on the 1st and 2nd trailer.
 * Vic has a different appearance, like with hair on his head and tattoo on his upper right arm.
 * In the first trailer, Louise Cassidy-Williams originally have black hair with a different hairstyle instead of brown hair.

Mission
 * According to screenshots, there was going to be a mission where Bryan and Vic were attacked by the Mendez Cartel, but there is no mission related to that screenshot.
 * In the mission, Last Stand, Vic also had to kill Armando Mendez, not just Martinez and Diego Mendez.
 * In a trailer, a scene in Jive Drive was shown, where Lance and Vic jumped the last ramp. Instead of a red Stinger, it was a beige Stallion being driven.

Clothing
 * The casual clothes were originally yellow and light blue.
 * The Army Fatigues originally read "USMC" on the shirt, meaning that originally, Vic would join the Marines instead of the army.
 * The Wetsuit was originally blue.

Others
 * Victor wore the Pastel Suit in the mission D.I.V.O.R.C.E. even though it is not unlocked until Brawn of the Dead.
 * Victor wore the Cuban Style in the mission Got Protection? even though the Cuban Outfit is unlocked after completing all of Umberto's missions which is after killing Marty.
 * Ionic Real Estate was supposed to be called Mpirian Real Estate as seen on Rockstar's official website on the news article called "Criminals building empires, investing in city infrastructure.".

Grand Theft Auto IV
Mission
 * The mission involving killing lawyer Tom Goldberg originally called Small Fish in Big Pond.
 * Missions American Dad, Jacob's Ladder, American Dream and I and High were cut.
 * Originally, It's Your Call was set at night.
 * As seen in the third trailer, The Cousins Bellic took place in the early afternoon.
 * Originally in the mission Pest Control, the player would get to choose whether they killed Ray Boccino or Phil Bell, much like in missions The Holland Play and Blood Brothers, but the final version instructs the player to kill Boccino.
 * As seen in the third trailer the end of A Revengers Tragedy is shown to be sunny when it is supposed to be raining
 * As seen in the third trailer there was going to be a mission involving Niko, Roman, and two unnamed people who were trying to escape on a boat with police boats chasing them.

Peds
 * There were originally female police officers.

Characters
 * A mobster, Raymond Alberga, was deleted from the final version. It was possibly that name was supposed to be Ray Boccino's different name.
 * Little Jacob originally did not wear glasses, and prominently wore a zebra patterned jacket. This is obvious if you look closely at him during the short cutscene of him selling guns during First Date.
 * Michelle had a different looking face.
 * Playboy X used to have a plain maroon hoodie.
 * United Liberty Paper had a different voice.
 * Real Badman did not wear a hat.
 * Roman's face and clothes were different.
 * Mikhail Faustin had grey hair and his hairstyle was different.
 * Ilyena Faustin had different clothes, as seen in 2nd trailer.
 * Ray Bulgarin's face was paler, and was less detailed.
 * Carmen Ortiz had a shorter ponytail.
 * Originally, Real Badman, Phil Bell, and Bernie Crane could be taken on friend activities.
 * Roman had a different outfit. The clothing was a white jacket, much like Roman's brown and tan jacket, and white pants. Roman's beta clothing was seen in the second trailer.
 * Niko's hair was a bit longer in the front. This is seen in the third trailer.
 * There was going to be a character name Pauline Simmones who gonna to be the host of Head Radio station but was removed for some private reasons.
 * According to a unused text, Victor Rivas was scheduled to appear in the game but was cut.
 * A Most Wanted criminal Maxwell Caughlin, was originally going to be named Maxwell Caddy

City
 * Some areas named Anger Bay, Norfolk, Jefferson Heights, Acter Bay, Richmond, Frogtown, Washington Heights were cut. Two areas called Hedgebury and Goatherd can be seen on roadsigns on the Broker-Dukes Expressway. It is likely that they are two more cut neighborhoods, or they could be beta names of the neighborhoods that are where Hedgebury and Goatherd supposedly lead to (Firefly Projects for Goatherd, and Outlook for Hedgebury).
 * The setting of the game was originally going to be Liberty State, rather than just Liberty City, and it would have included countryside surrounding Liberty City, mountains based on the Adirondacks and Catskills, and possibly The Caraways. The article mentioned that there were three cities. First is Liberty City, next is possibly The Caraways and the last could be Carcer City mentioned as "nearby".
 * A street called Liberation Street was either cut or renamed.
 * A street called 128th Street was either cut or renamed.
 * The Statue of Happiness was originally going to be called Statue of Freedom.
 * The Statue of Happiness had a different face.
 * The body of water had a different color than blue.
 * Liberty City was different and only had three islands like in Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars.
 * There was probably an airport in Alderney according to an extra space in the south-western part of the state.
 * In Alderney State, there was a peninsula in the north-western part that shows only land. It is unknown what was located here.

Clothing .
 * Fingerless gloves were probably available during gameplay. Pre-release screenshots, posters, trailers and videos of the PC version also show Niko with fingerless gloves but were still not available in the game. They still however can be found in the game files.
 * Binco was going to be the first clothing store. It is replaced by the Russian Shop, while ZIP became Modo.
 * The Rockstar Games hoodie, from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, had been removed.
 * Niko's clothes originally did not have stripes. This can be seen clearly in the trailer Things Will be Different
 * The Perseus suit had a yellow tie.
 * The Blue Jacket had been cut.

Weapons
 * Beta weapons included a Silenced 9mm, Pool Cue, Revolver, and the Minigun. These weapons, were featured in San Andreas and Vice City respectively and were likely to return. But the Pool Cue came back in The Lost and Damned
 * The Baseball bat was originally wooden, like in GTA III.
 * In an early preview, Little Jacob would sell a rocket launcher to Niko. It was originally attached to the underside of his car.
 * The MP5 was to be included but was cut.
 * The weapon pickups were originally yellow instead of orange.
 * Originally, there was a Yugoslavian Zastava M70, which had appeared in trailers and several screenshots. But it was cut and replaced by the AK-47.
 * The Sledgehammer was cut but can be seen holding by construction workers]].
 * The Hammer is cut.

Soundtrack
 * As mentioned in early previews or heard in trailers there were several songs that were removed from the final version:
 * Burn it all Down - VHS or Beta
 * Downtown Swinger - MOP
 * Cocaine - Humble Pie
 * Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani
 * How About Some Hardcore - MOP
 * Get Up, Stand Up - Bob Marley &amp; The Wailers
 * Restless - UNKLE (feat. Josh Homme)
 * They Say Vision - Res
 * Junior Kirkstart - The Go! Team
 * Shit is Real - Fat Joe
 * Sucker M.C.s - Run-D.M.C.
 * Tuff Gong Radio was called Babylon.
 * According to a French preview, a few of Rolling Stones songs could be heard on Liberty Rock Radio.
 * Head Radio was meant to carry on and appear but was dropped during development.

Others
 * The first removed haircut design for Niko was a cut that seemed to resemble helmet-hair.
 * The second removed haircut design for Niko was a buzz cut.
 * The Well Stacked Pizza Co. was originally meant to return but was removed before release. Outside Pizza This, the logo can still be seen and employees in the Alderney branch have "Well Stacked Pizza Co." on the back of their shirts. This may also indicate that this was once the original location for one of the stores.
 * According to early in-game previews, a city bus service was available for Niko to use, with a bus schedule popping up after walking to a bus stop. A bus driver character model is also found in the in-game files. Occasionally, an operating bus with the driver will be seen exiting the runway roads of Francis International Airport, however, if the player attempts to get in, the driver is &apos;pulled&apos; from the bus.
 * Niko would have been able to get limo rides just like taxi rides.
 * According to the model names of Roman's taxi depot, he was originally supposed to use limos. This may have a connection with the limo rides mentioned above.
 * Niko would originally bring prostitutes to his home.
 * Originally, the bailing out animation involved Niko diving forward, as seen in the second trailer.
 * Niko had these contacts in his phone: Cab, City, and Dock.
 * Snow was a weather condition but it is only seen as an unused scenario for pedestrian behavior in the game files.  However if you leave Niko sitting there for a bit, you may see him rubbing his hands and warming them, showing that the weather is cold.
 * Developers originally considered letting players purchase music by going to an in-game record shop and for Niko to have an MP3 player, but both ideas were cut.
 * Niko's cell phone had a different shape.
 * The weapons in the beta version had different names.
 * United Liberty Paper's contact's office was much more dirty, and his voice sounded different, as seen in the second trailer.
 * Higgins Helitours was called Magnum Helitours. There is a calendar in Brucie Kibbutz' garage with the Magnum Helitours logo on it. (This can be seen in multiplayer and Brucie's Car Theft missions as the garage is open.)
 * Car modifications from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas were planned to be available in GTA IV but postponed until Grand Theft Auto V.
 * Vehicles had more intense reflections.
 * There were meant to be flyable planes and jets that the player would fly, however according to a recent Q&amp;A by Rockstar Games, they were cut because the map was too small.
 * The inside of The Peep Hole looked different as seen in a screenshot.
 * According to a unused dialogue, Niko would originally able to go inside Fanny Crab's's and order food but was removed.
 * There was a helicopter with only two propellers, and a design which looked just like the Police Maverick but with no LCPD logos on the side. This could have been the earlier version of the Police Maverick or it could have been an earlier version of the Maverick, although it is unlikely because the design is not similar in any way.
 * The old death animation from 3D Universe was returned but it was cut to replace with Ragdoll Physics. It can obviously seen during the mission Entourage where the first guard who died in the ambush uses the old death animation, and even in free roam if the game runs slow and you take out peds from afar with sniper.
 * A fast food restaurant called Ping's, where Niko would order food inside the restaurant was in the beta but was cut.
 * A café restaurant called Rockstar Café was cut along with it's employees.
 * According to the cut audio files, Niko would originally purchase ice cream from the vendors in the gameplay.

Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned

 * Content from the mission Politics was cut.
 * A Game Informer preview states Johnny could originally change outfits: Johnny had 2 outfits, one from GTA IV and the one he wears in TLAD.
 * According to previews, Johnny had the ability to date girlfriends.
 * The Lost MC Clubhouse originally had a newer exterior; it had white walls with the door moved more to the right and it was also much smaller, which can be noticed in several early pictures.
 * Jason Michaels had a bigger role in the game, as seen in several trailers.
 * Malc gave missions to Johnny.
 * Johnny would had Jason, Malc and DeSean's phone numbers.
 * There was going to be a mission where Johnny, Billy, Brian and Jason did drive bys on a police car.
 * Terry wore a different outfit as seen in a screenshot.
 * Jason would originally wore the same outfit that he wears in a GTA IV's mission No Love Lost instead of the one he wears in TLAD missions.
 * The Russian Shop would have been accessible but was cut because the clothes in the shop wouldn't fit for the biker-style theme in the game. If the player goes to the front door, an icon will appear.

Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony

 * An early interview stated that there would be a random character encounter where a crazy ex-girlfriend of Luis would rig a bomb to her car (possibly Margot).
 * Tony wore different glasses that were tinted purple instead of clear as seen in the main game and the TLAD expansion.
 * Armando would be able to sell every weapon in the game from his gun van including the Desert Eagle and the Micro Uzi.
 * The Automatic Shotgun was fully automatic.
 * The Advanced Sniper's scope was not tinted green.
 * The Assault SMG did not have a silencer.
 * The Skylift was white, not blue, and had a different design.
 * Armando and Henrique had a bigger role in the game.
 * Tony, Mori Kibbutz and Yusuf Amir could be taken on friend activities
 * The Parachute was entirely yellow in the beta.
 * In the Meet: Luis Lopez trailer for TBoGT, Luis is seen wearing the brown and black Perseus suit, but with blue jeans. This implies that it may have been one of Luis' already available outfits.
 * In the game files, Aleks Thornton was meant to appear in the game but was removed for no reason.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

 * The alpha map looked very different.
 * The Screwdriver, that is used to hotwire cars, was blue instead of green, as seen in an image on the back of the game box.

Grand Theft Auto V
Characters

According to the Rush Casting Call, a lot of characters names were changed, though it's likely that these names were just cover ups. The names mentioned were:
 * Trevor Philips - Simon
 * Michael De Santa -  Albert De Silva
 * Steve Haines - Mitch Hayes
 * Andreas Sanchez - Miguel Gonzalez
 * Wade Hebert - Clyde
 * Brother Adrian - Brother Adam
 * Barry - Eddie
 * Jimmy De Santa - Kevin De Silva
 * Simeon Yetarian - Harut Vartanyan
 * Ron Jakowski - Nervous Jerry
 * Dave Norton - Calvin North
 * Lester Crest - Jerry Cole
 * Tao Cheng - Tae Wong
 * Cheng's translator - Tae's Translator
 * As seen in trailer #1, Michael had green eyes. In the Michael trailer, he had brown eyes. Although they were changed back to green in the final version.
 * In addition to this, Michael looked older and had more wrinkles and more gray hair.
 * Franklin had a lighter skin and looked more Hispanic than African-American.
 * Cheetah has a phone number, which was somewhat removed from the final version of the game, she can still be called but she has no dialogue.

Clothing
 * In Franklin's trailer, Denise Clinton can be seen originally having a different appearance with a different hairstyle, glasses and a green hoodie representing the Families but was changed before the game's release.
 * In The Long Stretch, Lamar Davis originally wore his green cap backwards, and his T-shirt had a logo of San Andreas Magnetics on it as seen in Franklin's trailer.
 * In Prologue, Trevor's and Brad's Balaclava had a different design.
 * In Did Somebody Say Yoga?, Amanda wore a white robe and towel on her head as if she got out of the shower.

Missions
 * Franklin was originally supposed to take Trevor's role in Caida Libre.
 * Franklin and Lamar took place at night.
 * In the second trailer, Trevor Philips was seen driving the Crusader out the back of the Cargo Plane in Minor Turbulence, but was switched by driving a Mesa out the Cargo Plane.
 * Caida Libre was originally going to be called Vinewood Babylon.
 * Three's Company was originally going to be called The Extraction.
 * Hood Safari was originally going to be called Urban Safari.
 * In the gameplay trailer, Simeon Yetarian was Employee of the Month. This was possibly done to conceal Franklin's surname prior to release.
 * The Jewel Store Job was originally going to be called Pest Control.
 * There would have been an extra heist involving the 3 protagonists robbing a rich guys mansion dressed as clowns or mimes stealing artwork and kidnapping his wife (probably merged with the Madrazo sub-plot). The name of the heist was called: The Sharmoota Job.
 * There was possibly another heist involving a 'Heat'- style bank robbery where the 3 protagonists dressed in suits and balaclavas had a massive shoot-out with the LSPD in the LS Downtown core (Probably removed due to similarities with the GTA IV mission Three Leaf Clover - A screenshot with Michael in a white suit not available in the game and numerous artworks with the 3 protagonists dressed in suits and balaclavas can be found)
 * The Heat styled heist was possibly a beta version of the Big Score: Loud approach.
 * The mission Pack Man took place in the Davis Strawberry area instead of Paleto Bay (seen in screenshots and the second trailer).
 * A mission involving Michael stealing a fighter jet for Solomon was cut.
 * Michael originally used the normal pistol during the mission Three's Company.
 * A mission involving the use of a Forklift was cut.
 * A mission that including a appearance of Brucie Kibbutz was cut, since he is fully modeled for GTA V and has a voice appearance in GTA Online. It is assumed by some fans that the mission would of had Franklin and Lamar stealing his car for Devin Weston, by hiring a hooker to distract him.
 * Vigilante Missions removed.
 * Drug Dealing was cut for Grand Theft Auto Online.
 * Pimping was removed.
 * Mini-Games like Basketball, Air Hockey, Pool, Bowling, weightlifting, and stealing/ exporting were cut.
 * The Hunting side mission originally had a different HUD.
 * Michael had a 2 cut random encounters, both with a lady called Magenta, she still appears in game at the start of the mission The Long Stretch.
 * Franklin had 2 more sets of random encounters, 2 for a man called Dale, and another 5 between 2 fighting neighbours.
 * Wade was meant to have Juggalo makeup in the initial cutscene for The Merryweather Heist freight method.
 * Trevor, Lamar and Franklin would of worn Bandanas in Hood Safari, but Lamar and Franklin wore bandanas in the Franklin's trailer.
 * Stretch didn't wear his cap in The Long Stretch, also the mission started at late night originally instead of late evening.

Animals
 * Chop originally wore just a plain brown collar (as seen in screenshots and trailers).
 * There were more dog breeds (eg. Huskies).
 * Horses was meant to appear in the game, meaning that they most likely would of been seen in the Vinewood Racetrack (removed for unknown reasons, as files could have been similar to Red Dead Redemption).

City
 * La Puerta and the La Puerta Freeway was planned to be named Los Puerta and the Los Puerta Freeway, but it was changed because of the incorrect translation from Spanish.
 * Road signs mentioning Los Puerta can still be found in Elysian Island.
 * The Grand Senora Desert was originally much bigger.
 * Route 68 was originally going to be named Route 69. The Route 69 badge can be seen however.

Weapons
 * So far, this is the list of the weapons removed or changed during development, though they could be released as DLC in the future:
 * The Shovel - HUD Icon
 * The wrench (as seen in the mission By The Book) - HUD Icon
 * The Fire Extinguisher - HUD Icon
 * The Fire Axe - HUD Icon
 * The rope - HUD Icon
 * A SCAR-like assault rifle - HUD Icon
 * A M14 sniper rifle
 * A XM25 airburst grenade launcher
 * A LMG Light machine gun - HUD Icon
 * Dippo Zippo Lighter
 * Some weapons had the green tint by default
 * Some weapons had an older more realistic wood-cast model.
 * The M9 had a darker skin.
 * Laser sights were cut.

Soundtracks According to GTAForums user NightSpectre, there were several soundtracks removed from the game. It is suspected that there might have been more songs cut from the soundtrack than featured in the actual game. A complete list can be found here:

Non-Stop Pop FM:
 * The Black Eyed Peas - Meet Me Halfway (2009)
 * Cassie - Me & U (2006)
 * Cobra Starship ft. Sabi - You Make Me Feel... (2011)
 * Duncan Sheik - She Runs Away (1996)
 * Duran Duran - Serious (1990)
 * Enrique Iglesias - I Like It (2010)
 * Estelle ft. Kanye West - American Boy (2008)
 * Jamiroquai - Love Foolosophy (2001)
 * Kevin Rudolf - Let It Rock (2008)
 * Kiki Dee - Star (1981)
 * Kylie Minogue - 2 Hearts (2007)
 * Mike Posner - Cooler Than Me (Single Mix) (2010)
 * Moloko - The Time Is Now (2000)
 * Morcheeba - Tape Loop (1996)
 * Neon Trees - Animal (2010)
 * Robbie Williams & Kylie Minogue - Kids (2000)
 * Seal - Future Love Paradise (1991)
 * Sneaker Pimps - 6 Underground (1996)
 * The Supermen Lovers - Starlight (2001)
 * Tears For Fears - Everybody Wants To Rule The World (1985)
 * Timbaland ft. Keri Hilson & D.O.E. - The Way I Are (2007)
 * Wilson Phillips - Hold On (1990)

Los Santos Rock Radio:
 * Cheap Trick - Surrender (1978)
 * Crowded House - It's Only Natural (1991)
 * The Cult - 'Lil Devil (1987)
 * Def Leppard - Hysteria (1987)
 * Golden Earring - Radar Love (1973)
 * Kenny Loggins - I'm Alright (1980)
 * Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) (1967)
 * Michael McDonald - Blink Of An Eye (1993)
 * Paul Weller - Round And Round (1992)
 * The Prime Movers - As Strong As I Am (1986)
 * Ram Jam - Black Betty (1977)
 * Rare Earth - Get Ready (1969)
 * Robbie Dupree - Steal Away (1980)
 * The Small Faces - Tin Soldier (1967)
 * Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) (1975)
 * Stevie Nicks - Sable On Blond (1983)

West Coast Classics:
 * 2Pac (feat. K-Ci & JoJo) - How Do U Want It (1996)
 * 2Pac - Outlaw (1995)
 * Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - Mr. Bill Collector (1995)
 * DJ Pooh (feat. Kam) - Whoop Whoop (1997)
 * Mack 10 (feat. Ice Cube & WC) - Westside Slaughterhouse (1995)
 * Nate Dogg - I Got Love (2001)
 * Spice 1 - 187 Proof (1992)
 * Spice 1 (feat. MC Eiht) - The Murda Show (1993)
 * Warren G (feat. Nate Dogg) - Regulate (1994)

Radio Los Santos:
 * A$AP Rocky ft. Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar - F*ckin' Problems (2012)
 * Buddy - Awesome Awesome (2012)
 * French Montana ft. Rick Ross, Drake & Lil Wayne - Pop That (2012)
 * Glasses Malone ft. Jay Rock - No Sympathy (2011)
 * T.I. ft. Trae tha Truth - Check This, Dig That (2012)
 * Tyga - Rack City (2011)
 * Waka Flocka Flame - Rooster In My Rari (2012)

Lowdown FM:
 * The Dramatics - Whatcha See is Whatcha Get (1971)
 * The Delfonics - Funny Feeling (1969)
 * Edwin Starr - Easin' in (1973)
 * Jackson 5 - Dancing Machine (1973)
 * The Jackson Sisters - I Believe in Miracles (1973)
 * Johnny Guitar Watson - Superman Lover (1976)
 * Marvin Gaye - I Want You (Vocal) (1976)
 * The Meters - Cissy Strut (1969)
 * The Pointer Sisters - Yes We Can Can (1973)
 * Silver Convention - Magic Mountain (1976)
 * War - Slippin' into Darkness (1971)
 * Weldon Irvine - We Gettin' Down (1975)

Rebel Radio:
 * Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues (1965)
 * Charlie Feathers - Get With It (1956)
 * Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen - Hot Rod Lincoln (1972)
 * Hank Williams III - D. Ray White (2006)
 * Jimmy Martin - Run Pete Run (1977)
 * Johnny Cash - Bad News (1964)
 * Johnny Paycheck - (Pardon Me) I've Got Someone To Kill (1978)

Space 103.2:
 * Con Funk Shun - Ffun (1978)
 * George Duke - Reach For It (1977)
 * The Kay-Gees - Master Plan (1974)
 * Kleeer - Intimate Connection (1984)
 * The Ohio Players - Fopp (1976)
 * Zapp - Be Alright (LP Version) (1980)

Vinewood Boulevard Radio:
 * Cold War Kids - Hang Me Up To Dry (2006)
 * DIIV - Doused (2012)
 * Hanni El Khatib - Head in the Dirt (2013)
 * No Age - Eraser (2008)
 * Psychic Ills - I Get By (2013)
 * The Soft Pack - Answer To Yourself (2009)
 * Sweethead - The Great Disruptors (2009)
 * Tame Impala - Solitude Is Bliss (2010)

Channel X:
 * Agent Orange - Bloodstains (1979)
 * The Alley Cats - Nothing Means Nothing Anymore (1978)
 * Bad Religion - We're Only Gonna Die Young (1982)
 * The Clash - This is Radio Clash (1981)
 * D.R.I - I Don't Need Society (1983)
 * Descendents - Ride The Wild (1979)
 * The Germs - Manimal (1979)
 * The Gun Club - Sex Beat (1981)
 * Red Kross - Linda Blair (1982)
 * X - Los Angeles (1980)
 * The Zeros - Don't Push Me Around (1980)

Blue Ark FM:
 * Bramma feat. Elephant Man - Duh Weh Mi Waah (2011)
 * Busy Signal feat. Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley - Kingston Town (2012)
 * Danny Hensworth - Mr. Money Man (1978)
 * Dennis Brown - Westbound Train (1978)
 * Junior Murvin - Police and Thieves (1976)
 * Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Jungle Lion (1973)
 * Leo Graham - Want a Wine (1973)
 * Linval Thompson - Jah Jah The Conquerer (1975)
 * Sean Paul - Temperature (2006)
 * Sizzla - Live Up (2003)

Radio Mirror Park: Additionally, there was a cut 90s Rock radio station called "P.M.R". The station was replaced by Vinewood Boulevard Radio as the game's file lists the station under "90s Rock", and the logo can be seen on the radio wheel within the files as well. The station would've played 90s Alternative Rock/Metal, Brit Pop/Brit Rock, Indie Rock, and Post-Grunge. Songs that were meant for this station include:
 * !!! - One Girl/One Boy (2013)
 * Ducktails - Assistant Director (2013)
 * Friendly Fires - Hurting (2011)
 * Future Islands - Before the Bridge (2011)
 * Gold Fields - Thunder (2013)
 * Junior Boys - ep (2011)
 * Mitzi - Truly Alive (2013)
 * Moving Units - Until She Says (2011)
 * Niki & The Dove - The Drummer (2011)
 * Panama - One Piece (2013)
 * Rainbow Arabia - Blind (2011)
 * The Ruby Suns - In Real Life (2013)
 * SebastiAn feat. Mayer Hawthorne - Love In Motion (2011)
 * The Shoes - Time to Dance (2010)
 * Toro y Moi - Day One (2013)
 * Toro y Moi - New Beat (2011)
 * Twin Shadow - Run My Heart (2012)
 * Ultraísta - Smalltalk (Four Tet remix) (2012)
 * Yeasayer - O.N.E. (2010)
 * The Charlatans - The Only One I Know (1990)
 * Faith No More - The Real Thing (1989)
 * Oasis - (It's Good) To Be Free (1994)
 * Mansun - Wide Open Space (1996)
 * Staind - It's Been Awhile (2001)
 * Stereophonics - Mr. Writer (2001)
 * Travis - Side (2001)

Others
 * Michael's mansion had a different look.
 * According to a Game Informer interview released in November 2012, it seems that grass had a glossy sheen of morning dew, and alarm systems installed in rich houses on Vinewood Hills and Richman. In the actual release, these features are dropped.
 * The Parachute had the same color scheme as it did in The Ballad of Gay Tony according to the screenshot.
 * The ability to buy properties on the internet was cut for Grand Theft Auto Online. Dialogue exists in the games files mentioning this however.
 * The interior of a certain apartment in GTA Online had a different look.
 * The player was originally able to buy drugs from Smoke on the Water but this ability was removed for an unknown reason. In the final game, Franklin maybe seen exiting the store when switching to him, implying that he has purchased something from it.
 * The police were meant to arrest the player for speeding or ignoring traffic lights but this was removed for unknown reasons, but probably because the feature would become repetitive, as most players in general simply just drive past the lights and traffic.
 * Modifications to vehicles such as Bass Boost, Nitro and Hydraulics would have returned in GTA V, but most of them were cut during development. Through modding software however, it is possible to modify vehicles to have the Nitro and Hydraulics abilities, however it is unknown how to activate them and it's more likely that these are just parts of unused code.
 * There were originally different car exhaust sounds.
 * In a screenshot, Franklin can be seen wielding a Desert Eagle with one hand. But, in the final version of the game, he wields all pistols with two hands, it's likely this animation was only to appear in a cutscene of some-sort or it was just made for the image.
 * In another screenshot, Franklin can be seen walking away from Families members being arrested by the police. Although, no such event is seen in-game.
 * In Michael's trailer, he is seen using his elbow to hit Simeon, but this animation is never seen in game or in cutscenes.
 * In the beta, some police vehicles, particularly Sheriff's Cruisers had older coloured San Andreas license plates, as opposed to the SA Exempt plate found in game on all emergency vehicles.