mtasa-blue: Multi Theft Auto is a game engine that turns Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

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Multi Theft Auto is the veteran of GTA multiplayer. It turns GTA: San Andreas into a fully scriptable multiplayer engine, and it is still actively developed today, which for a 2004 era game is remarkable. The Lua scripting API is deep and battle tested.

What is mtasa-blue?
Multi Theft Auto is a game engine that turns Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas into networked multiplayer.

Multi Theft Auto (MTA) is a software project that adds network play functionality to Rockstar North's Grand Theft Auto game series, in which this functionality is not originally found. It is a unique modification that incorporates an extendable network play element into a proprietary commercial single-player PC game. Multi Theft Auto is based on code injection and hooking techniques whereby the game is manipulated without altering any original files supplied with the game. The software functions as a game engine that installs itself as an extension of the original game, adding core functionality such as networking and GUI rendering while exposing the original game's engine functionality through a scripting language. Originally founded back in early 2003 as an experimental piece of C/C++ software, Multi Theft Auto has since grown into an advanced multiplayer platform for gamers and third-party developers. Our software provides a minimal sandbox style gameplay that can be extended through the Lua scripting language in many ways, allowing servers to run custom created game modes with custom content for up to hundreds of online players.

The facts, straight from GitHub

• Repository: multitheftauto/mtasa-blue
  
• 1,801 stars and 562 forks, with 1,032 open issues
  
• Written mainly in C++
  
• Licensed under GPL-3.0
  
• Started in 2015, last updated 2026-07-15
  

Getting started
Grab it with: git clone https://github.com/multitheftauto/mtasa-blue.git
You will need a C++ toolchain (Visual Studio on Windows or gcc/clang elsewhere) plus CMake if the project uses it. Check the README for exact build steps.

Frequently asked questions

Is mtasa-blue free to use?
It is released under the GPL-3.0 license, so it is free to use. Read the license text for the exact terms before you ship anything based on it.

Is the project still maintained?
Yes, the last update was pushed on 2026-07-15, so the project is alive and moving.

What do I need to know before diving in?
The project is written mainly in C++, so some familiarity there helps a lot. Start with the README, then browse the open issues to see what the rough edges are. That is usually the fastest way to understand the real state of any repository.

Where do I get help if I am stuck?
Open an issue on the GitHub issue tracker, check existing discussions, and of course post right here in this topic. Someone in the GTA community has probably hit the same wall before you.

Over to you
Have you tried mtasa-blue? Are you running it, forking it, or did you rage quit halfway through the setup? Reply below with your experience, your questions or your own favorite alternative. If there is enough interest we can put together a community guide for it.