Mod merges GTA IV stories into a single map

Bringing together the three protagonists of the same era within the same environment with instant swapping and scene preservation is a brilliant leap forward by the modding community, showcasing how the passion of fans can push classic titles beyond the boundaries envisioned by the developers themselves. Modder Joey shared a preview of his project for Grand Theft Auto IV, which introduces Niko Bellic, Johnny Klebitz, and Luis Lopez coexisting simultaneously on the Liberty City map, mirroring the dynamic switching system seen years later in GTA V.

The demonstration posted on the social network X quickly surpassed 460,000 views by showing the feature in action.

In the video, the swap between Luis Lopez and Johnny Klebitz happens in the Hove Beach neighborhood, with the vehicle used by the previous character parked precisely at the same street intersection.

The concept sets itself apart from old scripts by integrating The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony campaigns into the main storyline within the same save file.

The mod enforces a strict chronological order in the plot. In crossover missions, the game requires switching control between the protagonists, such as in the sequence where Johnny kidnaps Roman and the perspective immediately shifts to Niko organizing his brother's rescue.

Besides the unified narrative flow, the developer implemented additional gameplay mechanics to work around the limitations of the original 2008 game:

Personal vehicle system with a tracker and on-demand delivery at any point on the map.

Insurance payment system to recover vehicles destroyed during missions.

Customization of properties and hideouts scattered across the city's districts.

Created as a personal project by Joey before the arrival of GTA VI, the mod does not yet have an official name or a confirmed release date for the public.

Wanna see one of the best ways my upcoming GTAIV mod keeps Liberty City feeling alive? 

Each protagonist exists in the world where you left them, driving the vehicle you left them in or walking around the streets while you aren't controlling them! pic.twitter.com/VUBfXekj6J

— joey (@skireddv2) September 4, 2026

The developer has been sharing excerpts of the adapted missions on his Discord server, gathering community feedback while finalizing the chronological structure of the campaigns.

Combining three simultaneous narratives in a living, functional ecosystem without breaking the original game is a flawless achievement by modder Joey. On the other hand, witnessing the community deliver this perfect integration for free years later highlights the historical laziness of Rockstar Games, which failed to explore the true narrative potential of Liberty City in GTA IV by selling the episodes as completely isolated files at the time.