Dan Houser recalled that Grand Theft Auto III had its cover urgently replaced before release due to the 9/11 attacks. Steven Bliss took about two nights to paint the new cover, whose collage-style design later became a recognizable visual hallmark of the series. The game was released shortly after the 2001 incident.
In an interview with IGN, Houser stated that the originally planned cover felt inappropriate at the time. Accounts of this experience mention that the old artwork featured burning buildings. The team therefore rushed to recreate the cover before launch.
The new cover arranged images of characters, vehicles, and other elements into different sections. This layout, formed due to last-minute adjustments before release, subsequently became the visual style used by the series for years to come.
The adjustments also involved game content. Houser recalled that the team removed some content that seemed too sensitive in the aftermath of the event, modified a few lines of dialogue, and quickly reviewed the game. The police car livery was also changed at the time.