A 27-Year-Old Grand Theft Auto 2 Gets Full Path Tracing and 60 FPS via RTX Remix Mod
Modder gebdag has released GTA2 RTX Remix, leveraging Nvidia's RTX Remix technology to bring path tracing, dynamic lighting cycles, and modern performance features to the 1999 classic.
As the gaming community awaits Grand Theft Auto VI's arrival, a modder named gebdag has brought substantial visual and technical upgrades to one of the franchise's most celebrated entries. The newly released GTA2 RTX Remix harnesses Nvidia's RTX Remix platform to introduce full path tracing and dynamic time-of-day systems to Grand Theft Auto 2, the 27-year-old top-down action title from 1999.
The original Grand Theft Auto 2 relied on legacy graphics APIs including DirectDraw and an older iteration of Direct3D, creating incompatibility with modern rendering technologies. RTX Remix lacks native support for DirectDraw and functions optimally only with Direct3D 9, presenting a substantial technical hurdle. Gebdag addressed this challenge by constructing a custom Direct3D 9 renderer that serves as a bridge between the aging game and Nvidia's contemporary platform.
The solution employs two dynamic-link libraries—gta2dx9.dll and gta2dx9_vid.dll—that function as translators. These components convert the game's original graphics pipeline into a Direct3D 9 format that RTX Remix can process and enhance in real time. The result is a dramatic visual transformation while maintaining the core experience that longtime fans expect.
Anywhere City, the game's central setting, now presents itself as a vibrant urban environment with sophisticated lighting and shadow rendering. The addition of a dynamic day-night cycle allows players to witness natural celestial transitions. Environmental elements such as explosions, burning vehicles, and neon signage now emit their own light sources, complete with glows and reflections. Players can access the mod's menu by pressing F4 to customize lighting parameters according to their preferences.
Here comes a GTA2 RTX Remix mod with full path tracing + dynamic time of day! From modder gabdeg 🤯 pic.twitter.com/dZ0eMyIfmsSeptember 25, 2026
Beyond visual enhancements, the mod introduces several modernization features. The original game's restrictive 4:3 aspect ratio has been replaced with widescreen 16:9 support, expanding the visible play area. Frame Generation technology enables frame rates reaching 60 FPS, a significant leap from the original's capabilities. The mod also eliminates the visual pop-in effect that occurred when cars and pedestrians appeared at screen edges.
GTA2 RTX Remix operates as an open-source initiative hosted on GitHub. Prospective users must possess a legitimate copy of Grand Theft Auto 2, specifically version 9.6, which Rockstar Games released as a free distribution in 2004. The modification requires a 64-bit installation of either Windows 10 or Windows 11, along with the necessary RTX Remix runtime components.
RTX Remix has catalyzed a wave of community and studio-developed modifications that revitalize classic gaming titles. Grand Theft Auto 2 now joins a growing roster of enhanced legacy games, alongside Need For Speed Carbon, Tomb Raider, Max Payne, and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, among others.