Grand Theft Auto is an action-adventure video game series created by David Jones and Mike Dailly. The later titles of which were created by brothers Dan and Sam Houser, Leslie Benzies and Aaron Garbut. It has been primarily developed by Rockstar North, and published by Rockstar Games.
The Grand Theft Auto series is considered by Rockstar Games to be split into separate fictional universes, named after the primary level of graphics capability used in each era. The original Grand Theft Auto, its expansions and its sequel are considered the "2D universe". Grand Theft Auto III and its prequels are considered the "3D universe". Grand Theft Auto IV, its expansions and Grand Theft Auto V are considered the "High-definition universe". Each of them is considered separate with only brands, place names and background characters shared between the universes.
2D Universe: In the 2D Universe there is the original game, the subsequent two expansion packs featuring missions in 1960's London and GTA 2, which featured an improved graphics engine and a different style of gameplay. Whilst originally just called '"Grand Theft Auto", the first game and era have become known as "GTA 1" for clarity.
3D Universe: The 3D Universe featured the first blockbuster, Grand Theft Auto III, and introduced a 3D game world as well as a third person perspective. The entire era contains interlocking storylines, and many characters appear across multiple games.
HD Universe: The HD Universe features Rockstar's new RAGE engine, also used in Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis. This era features
The Grand Theft Auto series is considered by Rockstar Games to be split into separate fictional universes, named after the primary level of graphics capability used in each era. The original Grand Theft Auto, its expansions and its sequel are considered the "2D universe". Grand Theft Auto III and its prequels are considered the "3D universe". Grand Theft Auto IV, its expansions and Grand Theft Auto V are considered the "High-definition universe". Each of them is considered separate with only brands, place names and background characters shared between the universes.
2D Universe: In the 2D Universe there is the original game, the subsequent two expansion packs featuring missions in 1960's London and GTA 2, which featured an improved graphics engine and a different style of gameplay. Whilst originally just called '"Grand Theft Auto", the first game and era have become known as "GTA 1" for clarity.
- 1. Grand Theft Auto (1997) - Available for the PlayStation, PC and Game Boy Color. It features the cities of Liberty City, San Andreas, as well as Vice City.
- 2. Grand Theft Auto (Mission Pack #1): London 1969 (1999) - An expansion pack, it is available for the PlayStation and PC. This game is set in London. This setting is the only playable city in the series with a real name.
- 3. Grand Theft Auto (Mission Pack #2): London 1961 (1999) - This game is a further expansion to London 1969. It is available exclusively as a free download on the PC.
- 4. Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999) - Available for the PlayStation, PC, Dreamcast, and Game Boy Color. The game is set in a completely fictional City. GTA 2 is the only GTA game to have a digit in the title instead of a Roman Numeral. Apart from this, GTA 2 is the only game to have a T rating as well.
3D Universe: The 3D Universe featured the first blockbuster, Grand Theft Auto III, and introduced a 3D game world as well as a third person perspective. The entire era contains interlocking storylines, and many characters appear across multiple games.
- 5. Grand Theft Auto III (2001) - Set in fictional Liberty City, based upon the real life New York City. Multiplayer game mode was lost, but other areas were much improved, namely the graphics, voice acting, storyline with non-linear gameplay.
- 6. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002) - Set in Vice City, a city based on real life Miami. This sequel to GTA III is technically a prequel (set in 1986) to the game, and to GTA San Andreas, which was released after GTA Vice City.
- 7. Grand Theft Auto Advance (2004) - What was originally supposed to be a cut-down port of GTA III for the Game Boy Advance, turned out to be a completely original game, set a year before GTA III, in a slightly changed Liberty City.
- 8. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004) - Set in the state of San Andreas, featured three cities, Los Santos, San Fierro and Las Venturas, based on Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas respectively. The game is set in 1992, making it a sequel to GTA Vice City, and prequel to GTA III. The game featured a lot more customization options, for both players and vehicles.
- 9. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005) - A prequel set in Liberty City, 1998. Originally for thePlayStation Portable, a PS2 port was released in June 2006 without multiplayer.
- 10. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (2006) - Announced on May 10th during E3, is based in Vice City, 1984, two years before the original GTA Vice City, featuring Lance Vance's brother Victor Vance as the protagonist. It was released in October 2006 for the PSP. A PS2 port was released later withoutmultiplayer in March 2007.
HD Universe: The HD Universe features Rockstar's new RAGE engine, also used in Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis. This era features
- 11. Grand Theft Auto IV (2008) - This game features a new city, with new game mechanics, a multiplayer mode, and a brand-new protagonist, Niko Bellic trying to start a new life. GTA IV was released for Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 on April 28th, 2008. It is to be noted that the PC version was released on the 2nd of November, 2008.
- 12. The Lost and Damned (2009) - A downloadable episode released in February 2009 for the Xbox 360. TLAD is set in the same Liberty City as GTA IV, with events and characters overlapping with GTA IV. The protagonist is a biker, Johnny Klebitz, of The Lost Brotherhood biker gang. It is also available on a disc Episodes From Liberty City which includes The Ballad of Gay Tony also. It was released on PC (Games for Windows - LIVE) and PlayStation 3 in April 2010.
- 13. The Ballad of Gay Tony (2009) - A second episode for GTA IV released in October 2009, the last DLC for GTA IV. The protagonist is Luis Lopez, a part-time hoodlum and full-time assistant to legendary nightclub impresario Gay Tony. It was released on the same day as Episodes From Liberty City disc. It was released on PC (Games for Windows - LIVE) and PlayStation 3 in April 2010.
- 14. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009) - Set in 2009 and focusing on the Liberty City triads. The protagonist, Huang Lee is the son of a murdered Triad boss who comes to Liberty City. It is set in the same Liberty City as GTA IV (excluding Alderney, but scaled down for the Nintendo DS). PSP, iPhone, Android and Kindle Fire ports were released later, the PSP version including new missions and characters, and all new versions including new radio stations and improved graphics.
- 15. Grand Theft Auto V (2013) - Set in 2013 in a recreated Los Santos. According to Rockstar, Grand Theft Auto V is their biggest open world game to date. The game concentrates on "the pursuit of the almighty dollar". In a break with recent tradition, the game features three playable protagonists, Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton, and Trevor Phillips. The multiplayer mode has been expanded into its own game, dubbed Grand Theft Auto Online.
- 16. Grand Theft Auto Online (2013) - Set shortly before the events of Grand Theft Auto V in 2013, is considered by Rockstar to the series' first multiplayer title. The player assumes the role of an online protagonist, with the focus of the game being heavily centered on money. Grand Theft Auto Online was released on October 1, 2013, 14 days after the actual game and is played from within GTA V.