10 Things That Almost Completely Changed GTA History

3. Darkel

In the same interview that Houser confirmed the changes, he also debunked rumours that there was a significant chunk of GTA III cut entirely because of a much stronger terrorist thread than he suggests actually existed:

"Some people believe we removed an entire strand of missions because they found some reference in the code to a character called Darkel, but he had been cut months before and the missions were never completed."

Darkel has been picked up as the biggest indicator that Rockstar hid their terrorist thread in the wake of 9/11. The character, who was intended to be voiced by Bill Fiore was still listed in the GTA III manual credits and his presence is preserved in the appearance of his character texture in the game's data files. According to the strongest rumours, and hints within the game, Darkel was designed to be an anarchist hobo, who lived underneath the Callahan Bridge and who would give out player missions. As further hints, the remainder of his gang can still be found in the game in the tunnel attached to 8-Ball's bomb shop in Harwood, and a Liberty Tree article also mentions a rise in tramp-related assaults in the city. Ultimately, he was cut because he didn't fit, according to Rockstar, who denied the presence of a terrorist-like missions, including one including a plane crashed into a building. Either way, the presence of another mission-giving character would have been significant in GTA III.