With the rising cost of PC hardware, many gamers are forced to rely on low graphics settings just to achieve a playable framerate. But what happens when even the lowest settings aren’t enough? For one 17-year-old modder from Argentina, the solution wasn’t to buy new parts—it was to strip down the game code itself.
OptiJuegos, a YouTuber and modder with a passion for optimization, has managed to compress the open-world classic Grand Theft Auto V from its standard 120GB size down to less than 2.5GB. While the visual results are extreme, the project highlights the incredible potential of game compression for low-spec gaming.
From 120GB to 2.29GB: The “Demake” of GTA 5
Despite being nearly 13 years old, GTA 5 remains a visually impressive and massive game, requiring around 120GB of storage. However, OptiJuegos wanted to see just how small the file size could get while retaining some level of interactivity.
Using an existing 12GB “stripped-down” version as a base—which already lacked the prologue, radio stations, and video sequences—OptiJuegos went even further. The result is a version of Los Santos that fits in roughly the same space as a smartphone video.
The Technical Breakdown: What Was Removed?
To achieve this massive reduction, the modder deleted vast amounts of non-essential code and assets. Key cuts include:
- Gameplay Activities: Car repair shops, hairdressers, gyms, cinemas, and all phone features were removed.
- Visual Assets: Detailed treetops were replaced with static, blurred textures. Furniture in Michael’s house and specific car parts were deleted.
- Audio Files: While NPCs remain, they are completely silent. OptiJuegos noted that keeping animal audio would have consumed 30MB alone.
- Core Mechanics: The system for switching between the three main protagonists was removed entirely. Automated gates and other interactive elements were stripped out to save space.
Surprising Survivors: What Still Works?
Despite the drastic cuts, OptiJuegos ensured that the core “sandbox” remains intact.
- All vehicles and weapons are available.
- NPCs and animals still roam the world (silently).
- Police and Wanted Levels: The full law enforcement system remains active. You cannot commit crimes with impunity.
- Physics: Surprisingly, the swimming physics and the mechanics for shooting from cars were retained due to their low resource requirements (shooting from cars takes up only 3MB).
Playability vs. Performance: Is It Worth It?
OptiJuegos demonstrates two versions of the compressed game. The smallest iteration, at under 2.5GB, reduces characters to little more than moving polygons with muddy textures. Performance here hovers around just 7 FPS.
A slightly larger version (2.29GB) allows for better character models and boosts performance to roughly 30 to 40 FPS on his specific hardware.
However, the modder himself advises against playing this version seriously. The compression introduces numerous bugs and stability issues:
- Interacting with removed features (like the phone) causes an instant crash.
- Exploring beyond the intended boundaries of the map results in a crash.
- Links and triggers often lead to nothing, breaking mission structures.
In an FAQ, OptiJuegos explains that his hobby stems from necessity. Having always owned weak hardware, he has been forced to optimize games “since he was born.” At the time of the project (post-2023), he was running on a system featuring an Intel Core i5 6500 with integrated Intel HD Graphics 530—hardware that makes modern gaming nearly impossible.
The Takeaway: A Proof of Concept for Low-Spec Gaming
While compressing GTA 5 to 2.5GB isn’t a practical way to play the game, it serves as a fascinating proof of concept. It demonstrates how much redundant code and high-resolution assets sit unused in modern game files.
For the millions of gamers stuck with outdated hardware or integrated graphics, projects like OptiJuegos’ offer a glimpse into a future where software optimization might close the gap left by expensive hardware.
Are you gaming on a low-end PC? What games do you wish you could optimize? Let us know in the comments below.
