A beta version of GTA V made in the months before release by Rockstar Games has leaked. Fans have been able to dive deep into the files of this pre-release build and extract some very interesting details and significant changes compared to the final game.
We’ll be taking a look at what has been found so far from a secret alien bunker complete with images to a alternate ending and intriguing tweaks made to the game’s narrative and content.
Where Did This Come From?
Firstly, let’s talk about how exactly this beta version of GTA V has come about. A GTA Forums user called ceenlum noticed a GTA V Beta for the PS3 build appear on the Web Archive on April 14th 2024 so almost an entire year ago.
The user who uploaded this build, the cnh, also shared numerous builds of various games. These were all pulled off a PS3 dev kits. It appears this build is dated as July 23rd 2013 so a few months before release, according to forums user mari3.
More On The Mount Chiliad Mystery
One of the more exciting of these discoveries is the Zancudo Bunker located under Fort Zancudo. Connected to the fabled Mount Chiliad Mystery, we now can see the bunker layout. It was part of the beta version of GTA V some 12 years ago.
GTA forum users HeySlickThatsMe, Antasurris and Transmet have been able to display the bunker. According to Antasurris, there is an autopsy room with three aliens laid out on tables with a further three aliens in a cryochamber. There’s even a loading bay-type area. Meanwhile HeySlickThatsMe notes the file paths have it down as a GTA Online piece of content.
We did end up getting access to a lab under Fort Zancudo as part of the 2023 and 2024 Halloween events in GTA Online but that took 10 years. Rockstar were planning on doing something with aliens in the bunker all the way back in 2012/2013. Also, this bunker is much larger than what we have accessed in GTA Online.
Cut Mission Details
For a decade or so, there has been knowledge of a cut mission from Story Mode called Save Film Studio. With this beta leak, lots of notes of bugs left by developers have been found and they give us an insight into what would happen in it courtesy of HeySlickThatsMe. Playing as Michael, you’d work with Franklin for Solomon Richards. You would be tasked to defuse a bomb placed by Devin Weston’s men in the film studio. This would conclude with a chase sequence.
Scrapped Ending
GTA V’s Story Mode contains three endings which the player can choose. There have been notes before that have revealed a much colder ending to Trevor. Option A would have seen Trevor crash into a liquid nitrogen truck causing him to freeze. From there, Michael would smash him with an object. In this beta leak, there are references to the Frozen Trevor character model, trevor_ice.ift, we would have seen.
What do you think of all of these findings? Which are your favourite? Do you have any theories to go with them? Let us know down in the comments section below!
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