What is Multi Theft Auto: San Andreas?

Updated

Multi Theft Auto (MTA) is a multiplayer mod for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas — not a standalone game. You need a copy of GTA: San Andreas to play it. Once installed, it turns the single-player San Andreas map into an online platform for roleplay, racing, deathmatch, zombies, stealth, and other community-made game modes. It describes itself as the first Grand Theft Auto multiplayer mod and is open source.

What MTA actually adds to San Andreas

MTA is a modification layer that sits on top of GTA: San Andreas and handles the online side of things. The website highlights several things it brings to the base game:

  • Multiplayer modes out of the box — roleplay, race, deathmatch, zombies, and stealth are all named as supported styles of play.
  • Synchronization quality — MTA claims "the best GTA synchronization out there," meaning other players' movements and actions are reproduced accurately. The site gives the example of being able to shoot someone's limbs one by one, which depends on precise hit detection.
  • A user interface system — designed so that otherwise complex tasks (like roleplay interactions) are easy to handle.
  • Scripting system and map editor — for building game modes and maps that don't already exist.
  • A community hub — a forum for support, scripting help, and general chat, plus a separate site for downloading community-created game modes and maps.

How it relates to GTA: San Andreas

The relationship is simple: GTA: San Andreas is the base game, MTA is the multiplayer layer. MTA does not replace San Andreas or ship its own single-player content — it extends the existing game into an online environment. That distinction matters if you're trying to figure out what you need before playing:

Question Answer
Is MTA a separate game? No — it's a mod for GTA: San Andreas
Do you need GTA: San Andreas? Yes, it's the required base game
What can you play? Roleplay, race, deathmatch, zombies, stealth, and community modes
Can you make your own content? Yes, via the scripting system and map editor
Is it open source? Yes — the site states anyone can contribute

Who it's for

MTA suits players who already own GTA: San Andreas and want an online experience built around it — whether that's structured racing, roleplay servers, or custom modes. It also suits people who want to build rather than just play, since the scripting system and map editor are presented as core features, and the community download site exists specifically for sharing player-made modes and maps.

If you don't own GTA: San Andreas, MTA alone won't get you playing. If you do own it and want multiplayer with accurate player synchronization and a large modding community, that's the case MTA is making for itself.