Grand Theft Auto
What are the main Grand Theft Auto games in release order?
What are some key features of Grand Theft Auto gameplay?
Which cities are featured in the Grand Theft Auto series?
What controversies has the Grand Theft Auto franchise faced?
What awards has the Grand Theft Auto franchise received?
News •
Grand Theft Auto (GTA), video game series published by American company Rockstar Games. The franchise began in 1997 with the release of Grand Theft Auto, sometimes referred to as Grand Theft Auto 1. Following its debut, the series evolved into one of the most influential and commercially successful video game franchises of all time, selling hundreds of millions of copies and generating billions in revenue. It prompted multiple sequels and expansions, including Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999), Grand Theft Auto III (2001), Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002), Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004), Grand Theft Auto IV (2008), and Grand Theft Auto V (2013). Anticipation for the sixth edition, Grand Theft Auto VI, reached unprecedented levels in 2023 following the release of its debut trailer, which broke multiple Guinness World Records, including becoming the most viewed video game trailer and the most viewed nonmusic video in its first 24 hours on YouTube.
Development
Grand Theft Auto’s roots can be traced to Scottish studio DMA Design, which created Race ‘n’ Chase, an open-world game that revolves around police chasing criminals. During playtesting, however, the team, led by Scottish game designer David Jones, subsequently shifted the focus from law enforcement to criminal activities, a change they found compelling. The game was released as Grand Theft Auto in 1997 and published by BMG Interactive, and it soon found commercial success. It was praised for its open-world structure and its encouragement of creative ways to complete objectives. The first game’s blend of gameplay freedom, humor, and urban chaos—allowing players to steal cars, evade the police, and complete missions in multiple ways—laid the foundation for one of gaming’s most influential franchises. In 1998 American company Take-Two Interactive acquired BMG Interactive, and Rockstar Games was formed as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive that year. In 1999 DMA Design developed the sequel Grand Theft Auto 2, which was also commercially successful.
The franchise gained immense popularity following the release of Grand Theft Auto III in 2001, which transformed the series into a fully realized three-dimensional (3D) open world. It combined cinematic storytelling, high levels of player freedom, and new gameplay mechanics such as improved interactivity with nonplaying characters, side missions, and points for stunts carried out using vehicles. During this time DMA Design was renamed Rockstar North and next developed Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002). Vice City introduced several new features, including a broader narrative, more playtime, and a wider selection of weapons. Over the years Rockstar Games continued to publish commercially successful titles in the franchise, such as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004), Grand Theft Auto IV (2008), and Grand Theft Auto V (2013).
" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">
Gameplay
Cheat codes are inputs entered by players on their gaming consoles or PCs to unlock hidden abilities, weapons, and other effects. Although these codes exist in many games, few franchises have made cheat codes as memorable as Grand Theft Auto. In the series, cheat codes are not just shortcuts to complete the game but are part of the gaming experience. For instance, players can type codes for PCs such as GESUNDHEIT to restore health in Grand Theft Auto III, NOBODYLIKESME to trigger pedestrians to attack the protagonist in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and WHEELSONLYPLEASE to make cars invisible in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Cheat codes allow players to experiment creatively and at the same time get help to complete missions. Players can spawn weapons, summon tanks, and alter the weather, among a host of other abilities.
In the Grand Theft Auto series, gamers control criminals and attempt to increase their standing by completing missions in various virtual cities. Gamers usually assume the role of a low-level criminal at the start of the game and gradually rise in the hierarchy of organized crime syndicates as the story progresses. From its earliest entries, the series offered players the freedom to complete objectives at their own pace rather than follow a linear storyline.
The first two games of the series presented a simple bird’s-eye perspective of the landscape from which the gamer could view and engage in carjacking, robberies, gunfights, and other crimes. Approaching a vehicle and forcibly removing the driver allows the player to take control of the vehicle, change radio stations, and wreak as much havoc as necessary to complete the objectives.
Grand Theft Auto III and later games in the series offered improved graphics and different modes of play. Players can choose to explore cities on foot or by vehicle, interact with certain objects and pedestrians found throughout the game, engage or evade escalating law enforcement situations, and complete missions using multiple strategies, including by stealth or offense. Strategically placed video clips develop the storyline, giving each title a distinct narrative and characters. Grand Theft Auto V introduced a multiplayer mode called Grand Theft Auto Online that extended the game’s open world to a shared online space, enabling cooperative missions and competitive modes.
Story
“All we had to do was follow the damn train, CJ” is not only considered by fans to be one of the most iconic quotes in the entire Grand Theft Auto series but also in gaming history. The line is delivered by the character Big Smoke to protagonist Carl (CJ) Johnson in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas if the player fails to complete the notoriously difficult mission “Wrong Side of the Tracks.” The mission involves CJ and Big Smoke chasing rival gang members, who are atop a moving train. The player controls CJ on a dirt bike, with Big Smoke riding pillion, and must keep pace with the train while Big Smoke shoots their enemies from below. The developers increased the challenge by adding several obstacles along the course, including oncoming trains and uneven terrain. “Wrong Side of the Tracks” is widely regarded as one of the game’s most frustrating missions, but Big Smoke’s reprimand serves as comic relief and has evolved into a long-standing meme and a defining cultural moment in gaming history.
Grand Theft Auto’s cities are the lifeblood of the franchise, where nearly all the action and gameplay take place. Throughout its history, the series has repeatedly returned to three fictionalized American cities: Liberty City (New York City), Vice City (Miami), and Los Santos (Los Angeles), each a satirical reflection of its real-world counterpart. Although exaggerated, these settings in many ways act as a parody of American life. Here’s a look at the major Grand Theft Auto titles, the stories they tell, and their settings.
The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.
SUBSCRIBE
- Grand Theft Auto III: Set in Liberty City, the story follows silent protagonist Claude as he navigates through the city’s criminal ecosystem after a betrayal. As the story progresses, Claude moves from doing low-level criminal jobs to conducting high-profile missions for the mafia, escaping police, and engaging in high-speed car chases.
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City: Set in Vice City, the game takes inspiration from 1980s Miami. Players follow protagonist Tommy Vercetti, a former mob enforcer who seeks to control the city’s drug trade. Players are tasked with ensuring Tommy’s rise in the criminal underbelly of Vice City amid widespread crime and corruption.
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: Set in San Andreas, which is based on the U.S. states of California and Nevada, the game tells the story of Carl (CJ) Johnson, who returns to Los Santos following his mother’s death. The expansive world of San Andreas features three cities: Los Santos (based on Los Angeles), San Fierro (San Francisco), and Las Venturas (Las Vegas).
- Grand Theft Auto IV: Set once again in Liberty City, the game tells the story of Niko Bellic, an eastern European immigrant who arrives illegally in the U.S. with hopes of achieving the American dream. However, Niko finds himself drawn into the city’s criminal networks, navigating a world where betrayal, crime, and corruption are common and loyalty is often transactional.
- Grand Theft Auto V: Set mostly in the city of Los Santos, Grand Theft Auto V follows three protagonists—Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton, and Trevor Philips—whose lives often intersect, reflecting different aspects of modern crime in the U.S. The game juxtaposes urban luxury with rural decay and presents a society defined by ambition, crime, and greed.
- Grand Theft Auto VI: Set to release on November 19, 2026, the game makes a return to Vice City.
Controversies
The Grand Theft Auto franchise has been at the center of numerous controversies, beginning from the first game. Critics have pointed out that it allows players to commit crimes such as murder, assault, and theft in a virtual environment, at times rewarding such actions and potentially normalizing antisocial behavior.
Grand Theft Auto has also been blamed, particularly by politicians, for inspiring real-world crimes. In the U.S., the franchise was thought to have influenced Devin Moore, an Alabama teenager who, in 2003, killed three police officers. In 2008 a teenager in Thailand murdered a taxi driver in an alleged attempt to replicate a scene from Grand Theft Auto IV. The incident prompted Thai authorities to ban the game. The franchise has also faced criticism for its depiction of sexual content, profanity, and drug use.
Awards
The Grand Theft Auto franchise is among the most awarded gaming series of all time, receiving hundreds of honors. Its games often dominate major awards such as the BAFTA Games Awards, D.I.C.E. Awards, the Game Awards, and the Golden Joystick Awards. The series has gained recognition for its innovative storytelling, open-world gameplay, and audio.
Several entries, particularly Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto IV, and Grand Theft Auto V, won multiple Game of the Year awards.