Why You Couldn't Control a Plane or a Tank in GTA 4: A Developer's Explainer

Grand Theft Auto IV marked the series' shift to greater realism, and this was the reason why players were not able to control planes or tanks, according to former Rockstar North technical director Obbe Vermeij.



According to him, the development team sought to make the world of Liberty City (analogous to New York) as believable as possible. Niko Bielik, the game's protagonist, was a child of the infantry and did not have the skills to pilot planes or drive a tank. Also, such vehicles would have seemed out of place in a densely populated urban landscape.

However, the developer admitted that there are some inconsistencies. For example, Niko can still control helicopters, which somewhat contradicts the concept of realism. However, planes were not originally planned for the game.



Obbe Vermeij often shares interesting details about the development of the GTA games. Among his revelations is a story about why cars "went crazy" on one of the bridges in GTA 4, what mechanics were cut from San Andreas, and why the developers added slow motion for the player in GTA 3.