When Squid Game first exploded onto Netflix in late 2021, its influence on other forms of popular culture was immediate. The GTA 5 modding scene was captured by the zeitgeist, but it must be said that Los Santos and Blaine County's slant on the dystopian murder game show left a lot to be desired.
Defined by janky scripts, boring assets and dodgy AI, even the best-looking standalone variations lacked depth and purpose. The projects that pervaded the GTA roleplaying space arrived with some decent ideas at the time—and, crucially, swathes of keen contestants—but ultimately lacked the execution needed to keep folk returning.
