SHOCKING GTA San Andreas Glitch Lets Characters Break Through Mirrors

The mystery behind the glitchy mirrors in GTA San Andreas has been explained by former Rockstar Technical Director Obbe Vermeij. Due to limited video memory on the PS2, the development team had to improvise by rendering a mirrored version of the scene simultaneously with the actual scene. This workaround led to various anomalies, such as objects appearing to reach out of mirrors and incorrect model orientations. Vermeij clarified that these issues were due to memory constraints and not developer disputes. The PC versions did not exhibit these problems as video memory was less of a concern. Additionally, some peculiar interactions with mirrors in the game, like firing RPG rockets through them, were also discussed by Vermeij, suggesting they were due to the rockets being spawned past the collision area of the mirror.

Why were mirrors in GTA San Andreas glitchy?

Due to the limited video memory on the PS2, developers couldn't render mirrors using the standard method of rendering the scene twice. Instead, a mirrored version of the scene was rendered alongside the main scene, leading to the glitches players experienced.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was released in 2004 as the seventh title in the Grand Theft Auto series developed by Rockstar Games. It was praised for its vast open-world, deep storytelling, and groundbreaking gameplay. The game follows the story of Carl "CJ" Johnson who returns home to Los Santos to find his mother murdered and his family falling apart. Set in a satirical rendition of Southern California, players navigate the criminal underworld as they work to restore CJ's family's honor and take control of the streets.