If you grew up in the early 2000s, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was a vibe, not just a game. Alongside GTA: San Andreas, it offered a proper introduction to the open-world genre that would go on to reshape the entire industry.
Originally released on the PlayStation 2 in 2002 — and hitting Xbox and PC the following year — Vice City stood out immediately for its neon-soaked aesthetic, killer ’80s soundtrack, and Scarface-inspired tone. For many of us — this author included — it was also our first real introduction to an adult-rated game. And now, more than 20 years later, you can revisit Tommy Vercetti’s rise to power directly inside your device’s web browser. No, that’s not a typo.
This browser-based version of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City comes courtesy of the Dos Zone team. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because they’ve been doing masterful preservation work for a while now. They are the same folks who brought us browser-playable versions of Quake III Arena, Half-Life: Deathmatch, Unreal Tournament 99, and the original Diablo, which we wrote about a while back.
And because this port runs entirely in a web browser, it’s platform-agnostic. We tested it, and it works flawlessly on Android. Theoretically, it should run on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Linux devices, too, provided you are using a modern browser.
We put the port through its paces across several devices without encountering any major hiccups. It even runs in portrait mode on our Android phones. Naturally, it supports standard keyboard inputs, but it thankfully includes full controller support as well. That’s a crucial addition because, while the game runs on tablets and phones, navigating Vice City with on-screen touchscreen controls can be a bit awkward. That said, we recommend pairing a physical controller for the best experience.
You won’t have to worry about losing your progress, either. Saves are stored locally in your browser cache, and the platform even offers optional cloud syncing so you can seamlessly carry your session between mobile and desktop.
Here is the caveat, though: You cannot just hop on the site and start playing a free version of the game. The demo version of the browser-based GTA: Vice City has been disabled. The team cites significant traffic costs and, perhaps more importantly, the looming threat of the project being shut down by Rockstar Games. Rockstar is notoriously protective of its IP, and a free, instantly accessible version of Vice City would likely trigger an immediate legal response.
To play, you must upload your own original Grand Theft Auto: Vice City game file. The site verifies the file using checksums to confirm it matches official retail assets. Technically, Dos Zone is providing an emulator, not the game itself, but it remains to be seen if Rockstar Games will accept a browser-accessible version of their software.
Still, getting a PlayStation 2-era open-world title to run smoothly in virtually any browser tab is an impressive technical feat. It really makes you wonder just how far browser-based gaming can go. Maybe one day we’ll even be able to play Diablo 2 in a browser? Oh, wait, Dos Zone has that, too. We really are living in a golden age of mobile gaming.
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