A Bizarre New Glitch Has Brought Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Speedruns Back to Life
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
A newly discovered 31-step glitch on the original PC version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has revived the game's Any% speedrunning community, allowing players to beat the game in under an hour.
For the first time in six years, the Any% speedrunning community for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is experiencing a massive revival thanks to a newly discovered exploit on the original PC release. As detailed by community member Vitosi4ek on Reddit and reported by Polygon, runners have uncovered a wildly complex method to shatter the game wide open. While previous exploits like the Windows Store version's Arbitrary Jump in Skip largely paralyzed the traditional speedrun scene by bypassing most of the game, this new route relies on a staggering 31-step sequence that completely breaks the game's internal logic.
The execution required for this new route is nothing short of unhinged, combining nearly every glitch the community has uncovered over the years into a single, cohesive run. The process kicks off with precision horse race gambling, requires players to rack up specific negative cash balances through targeted stunt jumps on an NRG-500 superbike, and demands real time math to manipulate memory variables at the betting tables. It is a masterclass in game code destruction that ultimately allows players to reach the final mission and finish the game in roughly an hour instead of three.
Already, the category is seeing fierce competition. Speedrunner creezyful recently claimed the new world record with a time of 53 minutes and 46 seconds, though experts believe optimal execution could shave another few minutes off the clock. For viewers tuning in on Twitch and YouTube, this kind of community dedication is appointment viewing. It turns aging classics into living, breathing puzzle boxes and gives modern audiences another incredible spectacle to watch unfold.
Tags: GTA, Speedrunning, Retro Gaming, PC Gaming, Community
Original article: Polygon