The story of Grand Theft Auto
1997 · Where it started
Grand Theft Auto began in 1997 as a top-down game made by DMA Design in Dundee, Scotland. You stole cars, took jobs from ringing payphones and outran the police across three cities, and the freedom to ignore the missions entirely was the whole point. DMA Design later became Rockstar North, and the series has been Rockstar's ever since.
2001–2004 · The 3D trilogy
Grand Theft Auto III (2001) rebuilt Liberty City in 3D and set the template open-world games still follow: a city you can cross on foot, by car or by boat, radio stations with their own DJs and spoof adverts, and a story you can step out of at any moment. Vice City (2002) moved to a neon-lit 1980s Miami, and San Andreas (2004) grew the map into a whole state, with Carl Johnson's return to Grove Street at its centre.
2008–2013 · Liberty City reborn, then Los Santos
Grand Theft Auto IV (2008) brought back a far more detailed Liberty City and the darker story of Niko Bellic, an immigrant chasing a promise of the American dream; its two expansions were collected as Episodes from Liberty City. Grand Theft Auto V (2013) split its heists between three playable criminals, Michael, Franklin and Trevor, and launched GTA Online. Released on three generations of consoles, it has sold more than 200 million copies, which makes it one of the best-selling games ever made.
2026 · Back to Vice City
Grand Theft Auto VI returns to Vice City, now part of the state of Leonida, with two leads, Lucia and Jason, at the heart of its story. It is due on 19 November 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.