Modder xoxor4d just released an add-on that automatically enhances approximately 18,000 textures in Grand Theft Auto IV with physically-based rendering materials, and it's completely free. The transformation is so dramatic that screenshots of the modified game look so much like current-generation titles, which is impressive considering the said Grand Theft Auto game launched in 2008.
This is a modern rendering technology being applied to virtually every texture in the game, something that didn't exist when Rockstar North originally shipped GTA 4. Physically-based rendering is the gold standard in modern game development. It's what makes metal actually look metallic, wet streets reflect neon signs properly, and fabric appears soft instead of plasticky. Back in 2008, this technology was still years away from becomingan industry standard.
The modder achieved this through an automated process that captures textures while the game runs and converts them on the fly. It's a clever workaround that would have taken years to accomplish manually, and it works seamlessly with the existing RTX Remix mod for GTA 4 that adds real-time path tracing to the game.
When you combine path tracing with these new PBR materials, Liberty City suddenly looks like it could have been released yesterday instead of during the Bush administration.
With Grand Theft Auto 6 still months away from its November 19, 2026, release, fans have been hungry for ways to revisit the franchise with a fresh perspective. This mod essentially delivers a remastered experience without the typical price tag of a commercial re-release.
Rumors about a GTA 4 remaster have circulated for years. Insider Tez2 claimed back in May 2025 that Rockstar was working on one, targeting a late 2025 release. That didn't happen. Then there were reports that the GTA 4 re-release got pushed back because Rockstar prioritized a Red Dead Redemption 2 remaster instead. That also hasn't materialized. Former Rockstar developer Obbe Vermeij even went on record saying that remastering GTA 4 would require "close to the original dev budget" and be "a lot of work", which, considering the original budget was around $100 million, doesn't exactly inspire confidence that it's happening anytime soon.
So here we are. Rockstar won't remaster GTA 4, but modder xoxor4d will enhance 18,000 textures for free and release them to the public. Installation is surprisingly straightforward for such a comprehensive overhaul. The entire process takes minutes, though the visual payoff feels like stepping into an entirely different game.
For a game that's old enough to have its own driver's license, GTA 4 suddenly looks ready to compete with titles released just yesterday. And it's all thanks to someone who did it for free, while Rockstar charges $60 for a barely functional GTA Trilogy remaster that took years of patches to become playable.
Whether Rockstar ever gets around to officially remastering GTA 4 is anyone's guess. But at least the PC community isn't waiting around for permission.
