Grand Theft Auto or popularly known as GTA is one of the most successful video game franchises launched now. It has sold more than 370 million units globally as of 2022. GTA V is the highest-selling video game in the series and the second-highest of all-time among all other video games with 165 million downloads. Minecraft is in the first place with 238 million all-time downloads and Need For Speed is third.
In this post, we have listed all the GTA games that have been launched to date by the order of their release date. So, without any further ADO let’s get straight to it.
All GTA Games In Order
It will be hard to find a gaming franchise that is as popular and as controversial as GTA. The GTA games have been in the gaming industry since the late 90s and continue to serve their fans with new updates to the existing games. For example, they recently launched a definitive edition for the GTA Trilogy.
1. Grand Theft Auto (1997)
The success story of the very first game in the franchise set the foundation for many more GTA games to come in the near future. You might be surprised to know that, initially, the developers were trying to make a simple racing game titled, “Race’n’Chase“, but in the end of releasing a “sandbox” title in the form of the first GTA game.
Various gameplay elements like switching between cars, and on-foot mechanics, free-roaming, and many more were present in the GTA games from the very first release. Not only this, but the original also has the feature of competitive multiplayer mode. The very first GTA game was released on November 28, 1997, and was compatible with devices like PlayStation, MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, and Game Boy Colour.
2. Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999)
The GTA 2 did a couple of changes in comparison to the original GTA to improve the game graphics and mechanics. GTA 2 used the 3D models to improve the quality of the in-game graphics, however, the game was lagging behind when players were trying to play the game with an overhead camera perspective.
The GTA 2 introduced completely new gameplay mechanics. In this new GTA release, there was a concept of building up relationships with the city gangs. Along with all this, this game also has a new type of enemy and a lot of new weapons. Moreover, the game was released on 22 October 1999 and was compatible with PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, Dreamcast, and Game Boy Colour.
3. Grand Theft Auto 3 (2001)
GTA 3 is the first completely 3D game released in the GTA franchise. Not only this, but it is also the first game to bring in the concept of a third-person camera instead of the traditional top-down view. The game is based in Liberty City and the third-person camera view gives more options for exploring the city than it was ever given in the previous games.
Other than the camera perspective, the new GTA release also introduced many new schemes and gameplay elements that are still used in the GTA games. Initially, the game was only made compatible with PlayStation 2, but later on, it was also released for windows in 2002 and Xbox in 2003. Moreover, the game was released on October 23, 2001, and is compatible with platforms like PlayStation 2, Playstation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox, Microsoft Windows, OS X, iOS, Android, and Fire OS.
4. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002)
GTA Vice City was a turning point for the GTA franchise, it allowed players to explore a new version of Miami which was given the in-game name Vice City. Most of the gameplay elements used in GTA Vice City were almost similar to GTA 3, however, there was a great improvement in the graphics quality.
Same as GTA 3, Vice City was also exclusively made for the PS2 in 2002. But the developers make the game compatible with Windows and Xbox just the next year of its release. Between 2010 to 2013, the game was made compatible with OS X, iOS, Android, and Fire OS. And recently in the year 2015, Vice City has been made compatible with PS4. GTA Vice City was released on 29 October 2002.
5. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)
GTA: San Andreas, a name that needs no introduction. We all have grown up playing this game for hours. GTA San Andreas was totally ahead of its time and showed us what level of GTA games we are going to witness in the coming future. The best part about this GTA game was that it gives the players option to customize their character, a feature that is still used in GTA games.
GTA San Andreas was based in three separate cities namely, Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas. These all were fictional names of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. Moreover, the game was released on October 26, 2004, and is compatible with almost all the devices including PlayStation 2, Playstation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, OS X, iOS, Android, Fire OS, Windows Phone.
6. Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)
With the launch of GTA IV, the franchise once again pushed the boundaries of the limits of GTA from a technical perspective. The game becomes instantly widely famous because of its high graphics, new physics engine, and cover system. This cover system is still used in many of the latest games.
Initially, GTA IV was only released on PS3 and Xbox 360. It was made compatible with windows within a few months of its release. Xbox One users can play the Xbox 360 version of the game using the backward compatibility of Xbox One. Moreover, the game was released on 29th April 2008.
7. Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
Grand Theft Auto 5 is the most popular GTA game after GTA San Andreas. Not only this, but it is also the best-selling GTA game with 165 million copies sold worldwide. It is one of the most expensive games ever developed, with a total cost of 265 million US dollars. Red Dead Redemption 2 is the most expensive game as of now, with a budget of 540 million US dollars.
GTA 5 has been made with the same engine that was used to develop GTA 4, however, there is a great improvement in graphics quality and we can easily witness a far more detailed world. Players can easily switch between different characters in free roam. Initially, the game was only developed for PS3 and Xbox 360, and it was made compatible with windows in 2015, after 2 years of its release.
Other GTA Games
Along with all the games mentioned above, Rockstar and many other developers have kept on releasing various GTA expansion packs, and handheld games. However, they are not as popular as the names mentioned above but still did deserve a notable mention in this post. So, let’s take a look at them.
- GTA London 1969: Released in 1999
- GTA London 1961: Released in 1999
- GTA Advance: Released in 2004
- GTA Liberty City Stories: Release in 2005
- GTA Vice City Stories: Released in 2006
- GTA IV: The Lost and Damned: Released in 2009
- GTA: Chinatown Wars: Released in 2009
- GTA: The Ballad Of Gay Tony: Released in 2009
- Grand Theft Auto Online: Released in 2013
- Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition: Released in 2021
Final Words
So, these are the GTA games released till now. With, GTA 6 release date almost confirmed it will be interesting to complete all the previous released GTA games before you start enjoying GTA 6 on your device. Nevertheless, let us know your doubts and suggestions regarding this post in the comment section.
