San Andreas never had an official multiplayer mode. Hundreds of people still meet there on servers written, funded and maintained by players.
Last checked on 21 August 2026.
San Andreas has no official multiplayer mode. It never did. Yet hundreds of people still meet on player-built servers — and one project, SA-MP, has kept the game alive for more than fifteen years.
For many players, San Andreas online was their first encounter with roleplay. It was not a shooter, but a city where you had a job, a car bought on finance and a police officer who stopped you for speeding. Rockstar did not devise this. Players created it by setting their own rules.
Below is a breakdown of the whole ecosystem: three projects, how they differ, what each requires and, most importantly, the one issue that most often causes a connection attempt to fail.
SA-MP requires the PC version 1.0 of San Andreas. Not 1.01, 2.0 or 3.0. This is by far the most common reason why the client will not start or a server rejects a connection — and the error message usually does not make the cause clear.
The Steam release is newer and is not compatible with SA-MP in its original form. Tools can revert it to 1.0, but they work only with a legally purchased copy because they operate on your own files.
You can identify the version in the properties of gta_sa.exe. If it is wrong, there is no point investigating anything else — check the version before the installation.
We neither host nor link to game files or modified executable files. You must own the game.
They are not versions of the same thing; choose according to what you want to do
| Project | Scripting language | For whom | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| SA-MP | Pawn | Roleplay and everything built around it. The largest selection of established servers. | The client has seen virtually no development since the 0.3.7 era, but the network remains active. |
| open.mp | Pawn (compatible with SA-MP) | Server operators who want bug fixes and new features without rewriting their scripts. | An open successor under active development. |
| MTA:SA | Lua | Players and operators who want deeper changes — custom modes, different rules and greater scripting freedom. | A separate project with its own client, maintained over the long term. |
The last official release is 0.3.7, followed by several R bug-fix builds dating from around 2015. There is also version 0.3.DL, which added downloads of custom models and skins — allowing servers to use vehicles and characters absent from the original game. Version 0.3.8 was announced and later cancelled.
The current version designation is 0.3.7-R5-2-MP.
It began as an open reimplementation of SA-MP and remains compatible with existing Pawn scripts. It looks the same to players; the main differences are on the server side.
The open.mp and SA-MP server lists are now linked and display both.
It is not a variant of SA-MP but a different project. It uses Lua rather than Pawn and provides features that SA-MP lacks, but servers and scripts cannot be transferred between them.
It has its own client and server list, separate from SA-MP.
Six steps in the order that avoids trouble
First establish whether you have version 1.0. If not, resolve that before anything else — otherwise you will be looking for a fault where none exists.
Copy the entire game folder elsewhere. The multiplayer installation accesses game files, and a backup makes reverting a one-minute task rather than an evening's work.
The original sa-mp.com domain closed in September 2023. Its only official successor is sa-mp.mp, run by the community in cooperation with the open.mp team. Older guides point to a dead address, so take care.
The client belongs in the directory containing gta_sa.exe. Do not mix it with another installation that is already modified — a clean copy avoids much uncertainty.
The client includes a server list. Roleplay servers usually enforce their own rules, so read what they expect before joining.
On a roleplay server, poor aim will not get you removed, but breaking character may. Most bans result from behaviour, not lack of skill.
The overwhelming majority
You play a character, not yourself. You have a job, identity papers, rent and rules preventing you from simply shooting someone. This is the genre that keeps SA-MP alive.
Minority
Traditional shooting without a story. It is quick to play, but that also means people tend to move on over time.
Minority
Races and jumps on player-built courses. Their longevity depends mainly on the community around each server.
Minority
Free driving without an objective, usually with commands to spawn vehicles and weapons. It often serves as a place to meet and arrange other activities.
Most bans concern these rules, not a lack of skill
You choose a name, background and occupation, then act accordingly. Breaking character is an offence on most servers.
Information from Discord or another life of the character must not be brought into the game. This is called metagaming and is the most common reason for complaints.
Most servers do not allow a character to behave after an injury as though nothing happened. The character is expected to remember what occurred.
A roleplay server succeeds or fails according to whether someone enforces its rules. A server without active administration falls apart within months.
The original sa-mp.com website closed in September 2023. Its only official continuation is sa-mp.mp, created and maintained by the community in cooperation with the open.mp team.
This matters in practice: most guides online were written earlier and point to an address that no longer works. If an older guide will not open, this is often the reason.
The central server list remains online, and monitoring sites report servers numbering in the hundreds — predominantly roleplay.
San Andreas Multiplayer is a player-made modification that adds network play to the PC version of GTA San Andreas. Rockstar never released anything like it — it is entirely a community project and runs on player-operated servers.
PC version 1.0. Versions 1.01, 2.0 and 3.0 do not work, and this is by far the most common cause of connection failures. A newer Steam copy must be reverted to 1.0, and the relevant tools work only with a legally purchased game.
Yes. The client has seen virtually no development since the 0.3.7 era, but the central server list remains online and active servers number in the hundreds — overwhelmingly roleplay.
open.mp is the open successor and remains compatible with Pawn scripts, so a server can be transferred without a rewrite. The result looks the same to players; the main difference is that open.mp is actively developed. Their server lists are now linked.
It is not a matter of better, but different. SA-MP has more established roleplay servers and uses Pawn scripts. MTA:SA is a separate project with its own client, uses Lua and offers more scripting options. Servers and scripts cannot be transferred between them.
From sa-mp.mp. The original sa-mp.com domain closed in September 2023, so older guides point to a dead address. We neither host nor link to game files or modified executable files.
You play a character with a background and occupation, following rules that prevent you from behaving as you would in an ordinary game. The most common offences are social rather than mechanical — breaking character and using information the character could not know.
No. It runs on a twenty-year-old game, so hardware is the least of your concerns. The likely bottlenecks are your connection and how well the particular server is written.
We link only to official project websites. We neither host nor link to game files, modified executables or tools that circumvent copy protection.
Before joining a server, it helps to know the map and game rules. Both are covered nearby.