Rockstar releases GTA2 for free

Having previously released free-to-download versions of archived games including Wild Metal and the original, top-down Grand Theft Auto, Rockstar Games has delivered a Christmas treat this week with the release, for free, of GTA2.

Originally released in 1999, GTA2 introduced rival gangs whose trust and respect you had to earn (or dismantle by splattering them aggressively across the pavement), and was widely acclaimed for successfully building on the original, immensely popular concept. It was, from memory, a damn sight harder than the first game, but nevertheless.

And now it can be yours for nowt. And Rockstar has even taken the trouble to update the code so that it will run on modern PCs - including those running on the Windows XP operating system. Rockstar will swipe some personal info in exchange for your downloading it, and the page is quite swamped just now, but a bit of waiting and the occasional mailshot to a Hotmail account is a price we imagine you're prepared to pay for high-quality freebie entertainment...

Head over to the Rockstar Classics page now to get your hands on it.