GTA 5’s Iconic Character-Switching Feature Was Originally Planned for San Andreas — New Mod Finally Makes It Possible
A new GTA San Andreas mod activates Rockstar’s originally planned character-switching system—years before GTA 5 made it famous. Here’s how the mod works and why the idea was abandoned.
A new fan mod brings GTA 5-style character-swapping to San Andreas, reviving a feature Rockstar once planned but never completed.
Rockstar Games’ groundbreaking character-swapping mechanic in Grand Theft Auto V remains one of the most innovative open-world features in modern gaming — but according to newly resurfaced information, that system was actually meant to debut nine years earlier in GTA: San Andreas.
Now, thanks to a new fan-made mod, players can finally experience the feature the way Rockstar originally envisioned it.
A Forgotten Feature Finally Comes to Life
Modder Kaizo has released a project titled Real Multiple Protagonists, which activates unused source code tucked deep within San Andreas. The code reveals that Rockstar once planned a seamless character-switching system similar to the one made famous in GTA V.
While earlier discoveries in 2012 hinted at the abandoned mechanic, Kaizo is the first to fully implement it as a working gameplay feature.
“This isn’t a trick — the mechanic already existed in Rockstar’s code,” Kaizo explained. “It just wasn’t finished or activated.”
How the Mod Works
The mod turns San Andreas’ unused two-player mode into a fully functioning dual-protagonist system. Players can freely switch characters just like in GTA V, complete with a cinematic transition inspired by the later game.
However, the feature only works in free-roam mode, as the game has no mission scripts designed for multiple characters.
Draw-distance limitations in the original PS2-era engine made the feature impossible during development, but modern graphical enhancement mods now allow smooth aerial camera transitions across the map.
A Feature 21 Years Ahead of Its Time
The idea of multiple playable protagonists was too ambitious for early-2000s console hardware — especially in a game already considered enormous in scale. Rockstar eventually perfected the idea in GTA V, released nearly a decade later.
Celebrated games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 have since adopted similar systems, but GTA’s implementation remains a standout moment in game design history.
A Love Letter to Modding and Preservation
Kaizo says the overwhelming positive response shows how deeply San Andreas continues to resonate with fans more than 20 years after launch.
“San Andreas still has huge potential — modders are keeping it alive in ways Rockstar never explored,” he added.
With thousands of players now experiencing this long-lost feature, the mod has become a fascinating “what-if” glimpse into gaming history — and a reminder of how much innovation can begin long before technology catches up.
