Published Jun 12, 2026, 6:00 PM EDT
Steven is a seasoned writer specializing in the video game and technological fields, with years of experience creating reviews, features, and industry analysis. Passionate about the gaming world and its evolving culture, Steven always wanted to combine his enjoyment of writing and love for gaming in a way that can provide insightful coverage for players and enthusiasts alike, striving to provide this since he joined Screenrant in 2024.
Although the anticipation for Grand Theft Auto 6 and its long-awaited release has been the center of attention for Rockstar in recent years, it's far from the studio's only successfully published action franchise. Even if the noir thriller experience never reached quite the same heights as GTA's legacy, the bullet-time indulgent Max Payne series is still widely beloved by players to this very day.
Unfortunately, while we did get confirmation that 2 remakes are in development for the Max Payne series years prior, headed by the same team as the original series, we've had painfully little information or new updates for the series. Until now, that is.
As noticed by x user Ninjago9101, Rockstar Games recently put out a surprise patch for the mobile edition of the first Max Payne game. This not only makes it finally playable once more after years of 1-star reviews over the abysmal port being incompatible for most devices but also adds several features to make the experience far smoother than before.
Given that we're still waiting for a remake of the original Max Payne series in general, the update makes the mobile edition the definitive way to play the original game, thanks to the HD visuals, texture enhancements, and quality of life improvements like fully customizable controls, all wrapped up in a portable package for $3.99 USD.
Having fixed the countless crashes and performance issues on more modern systems, the portable edition of Max Payne has been flooded with positive reviews, which has caused its rating to quickly rise in less than a week since its surprise release. Even if it might not be the brand-new release you might have been hoping for, the surprise update has led to some exciting speculation for the Max Payne series.
While fans have speculated that Max Payne has been pushed aside for GTA 6 so as not to draw any attention away from Rockstar's golden goose, the update has led some fans to believe that it's either a subtle way for Remedy Entertainment to tease that new content is coming soon. There's also the chance that the Max Payne series might be making it's way to GTA+ sometime in the near future, which recently added GTA 5 for subscribers.
Given that Rockstar has a habit of updating their older titles before bringing them over to the paid subscription service, GTA fans might even be able to experience the updated version entirely for free if they're already a member.
Regardless if any of these rumors turn out to be true, it's still great to see that a classic franchise like Max Payne is more accessible to new players, while helping tie us over until the release of its upcoming remakes.
Systems
Released July 23, 2001
ESRB M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Violence
Developer(s) Remedy Entertainment
Publisher(s) Gathering of Developers
Engine MaxFX
Franchise Max Payne
English (US) ·