Great Rockstar Games You Can’t Buy Anymore

Rockstar Games is known for making incredibly popular and groundbreaking video games that have shaped the industry. While they’ve created many iconic titles and pioneered open-world gaming, not all of their games are currently available to buy. If you search for some of their older, well-known games on stores like Rockstar’s website, Steam, or the Xbox Store, you’ll find that many have been taken down.

This has left a hole in gaming history, making it hard for new players to enjoy some of Rockstar Games’ greatest titles. Several factors, like licensing problems, have caused these games to become unavailable. Fans wanting to revisit these classics often have limited legal options, sometimes needing to search for costly physical copies or even the original consoles just to experience what made these games so memorable.

Manhunt 2

The Controversial Stealth Sequel Lost To Censorship

Focuses on a dark, psychological story involving human experimentation.
Pulled from stores due to heavy censorship issues and long-running controversy.

Manhunt 2 is a scary stealth horror game focused on building tension, fear, and the struggle to survive. Players take on the role of Daniel Lamb, a man who finds himself in a mysterious research facility with amnesia. He quickly discovers he’s part of a dangerous experiment and is being pursued by others. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Daniel is mentally unstable and his perceptions may be unreliable. The game doesn’t offer a large, open world or much direction, creating a claustrophobic and brutal atmosphere. Even today, Manhunt 2 stands out as the most disturbing and violent game Rockstar Games has ever created.

The game Manhunt 2 gained notoriety not only for its gameplay, but also for the strong reactions it provoked. When it launched in 2007 for PlayStation 2, PSP, and Nintendo Wii, it faced significant issues with game rating boards around the world. Some versions were altered, while others were delayed or completely banned. The game’s violent content and psychological themes drew a lot of criticism, and it remained controversial even after it was released. This complicated history is why Manhunt 2 is difficult to purchase today; most copies are found through used physical copies or older digital downloads.

Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix

The Rockstar Street Racer

An expanded version of Midnight Club 3 with more cars, cities, and music.
An arcadey, wild, high-speed racer.

Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix is an enhanced version of the 2005 racing game, Midnight Club 3, originally released for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It’s a well-loved arcade racer from Rockstar Games, famous for its fast-paced street racing in open cities, featuring real car brands and a fantastic soundtrack. The game focuses on exciting, over-the-top speed rather than precise driving. While popular, it’s no longer available for purchase digitally through official stores.

So, the big reason this game vanished is all about licensing. It’s packed with real car brands – like, 24 different ones! – and 25 licensed songs. Honestly, it’s not surprising those licenses became a problem over time. Keeping all that stuff renewed must have been a nightmare!

Midnight Club: LA Remix

The Portable Midnight Club Left Behind

A PSP-exclusive remix that trims down Midnight Club: Los Angeles.
Features an exclusive map of Tokyo that was not available in the standard console version.

Midnight Club: L.A. Remix is a special version of the Midnight Club racing games, created just for the PlayStation Portable. It brings the excitement of fast-paced, open-world street racing to a handheld device. The game stays true to the Midnight Club style, letting players race through city streets, personalize a variety of officially licensed cars and motorcycles, and challenge skilled AI opponents.

The game features two cities: a version of Los Angeles inspired by the map from Midnight Club 2, and Tokyo, which is based on the layout from Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix. Unfortunately, the game depended heavily on licenses for cars, music, and the cities themselves, and problems renewing those licenses are probably why it’s no longer available for purchase.

Wild Metal Country

Forgotten Tank-Based Shooter

Involves using tanks to fight robots on three different alien planets.
It was once a free game from Rockstar.

Wild Metal Country is an action game where you control powerful tanks and battle robots in large, open environments. Unlike many games, you fight entirely from inside vehicles, not on foot. Set in a science fiction universe, the game takes place on alien planets. Developed by DMA Design (later Rockstar North), it originally came out on Windows in 1999, before Rockstar became famous for games like Grand Theft Auto. It was later released on the Dreamcast as simply Wild Metal. Both versions focused on fast-paced, arcade-style tank combat and included multiplayer battles.

After its initial release, Wild Metal Country became more popular when Rockstar Games offered it as a free download on their website in 2004 as part of the “Rockstar Classics” collection. This was an official release of the complete game. While the game was briefly sold on Steam years later, it was removed from the platform around 2013. The free download from Rockstar was also discontinued, and as of now, Rockstar hasn’t re-released or remastered the game, nor have they indicated any plans to do so.

Grand Theft Auto 2

The Final Top-Down Gangster Classic

Classic, top-down GTA set in Anywhere City.
The same mix of driving, criminal activities, and on-foot action that defined the series.

I still remember when Grand Theft Auto 2 came out in 1999! It was amazing, and honestly, it felt like the start of something huge – who knew the series would become what it is today? It wasn’t the full 3D we got used to later; instead, you looked down on the action from above. You played in this city called Anywhere City, which was seriously gritty and controlled by different gangs. Basically, it had the same core gameplay we love in GTA – driving around, getting into action on foot, taking on missions, stealing cars, causing a little mayhem, and trying to climb the ranks. Plus, it had multiplayer for up to six players on PC, which was a really big deal back then!

If you want to play Grand Theft Auto 2 now, it’s much harder to get than it used to be. Rockstar Games no longer sells the game digitally or physically, so the only legal way to own it is by finding a used copy of the original PC or console version. There are currently no plans to re-release the game officially.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

The Empire-Building Prequel

A PSP prequel that expanded Vice City’s crime story.
Gameplay closely follows the traditional GTA structure.

Originally created for handheld devices, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories became a full-fledged console game, building upon the popular setting of Vice City from the GTA series. It was a huge success, becoming one of the best-selling games for the PSP with over 4.5 million copies sold within two years of its 2006 release. A PlayStation 2 version followed in 2007. The game takes place in 1984 and tells the story of Victor Vance, a soldier trying to go straight, but gets pulled into Vice City’s criminal world where he must gain power and wealth to survive.

Like most Grand Theft Auto games, Vice City Stories lets you explore a city, steal cars, complete missions, and participate in various side activities. However, this game uniquely emphasizes building and running your own criminal empire – you can acquire businesses, protect them from competitors, and use them to earn money. Unfortunately, Vice City Stories is no longer sold in stores or online.

Midnight Club 2

A Challenging Arcade Racer

Early open-city arcade racer with a strong underground vibe.
This was the first game in the series to feature motorcycles and special driving abilities.

Released in 2003, Midnight Club 2 is a fast-paced street racing game from Rockstar, before they became famous for Grand Theft Auto. Unlike traditional racing games, it lets you race anywhere in a city – not just on a track – allowing drivers to explore streets, alleys, and even rooftops. Midnight Club 2 was also the first in the series to include motorcycles. Players on consoles could enjoy split-screen multiplayer, and the PC version offered online racing, which was still a rare feature for racing games back then.

When it first came out, Midnight Club 2 was available on PlayStation 2, Xbox, and computers. It stood out from other racing games at the time thanks to its open-city design, diverse races, and freedom to drive anywhere without being restricted to tracks. The game’s energetic soundtrack and unique visuals further enhanced this exciting, carefree racing experience, setting the tone for the early Midnight Club series. Unfortunately, Midnight Club 2 has become increasingly difficult to purchase digitally. While it was once available on Steam, it’s now only obtainable through used game retailers.

2026-01-21 14:39