Every GTA game in order: The complete GTA history

The big open world, open-ended gameplay and especially the sound and feel of the game, made Vice City a fan-favourite. It was the highest selling game of 2002 in the US, and it even became the fastest-selling game in history at that time.

It’s not an understatement to say that this one was a game changer for the GTA-franchise. The game was not only revolutionary for the graphics, but also for how it combined non-linear and story-driven gameplay. This made players feel like they had control over the story.

Vice City Prequel: GTA: Vice City Stories (2006)

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories is, you guessed it, a prequel to GTA Vice City from 2002. Vice City Stories expands on the empire building aspect of the first game. For example, you can take over compounds owned by rival gangs, and you’ll have to protect these businesses from the other gang members.

Hot Coffee Controversy: Adults only!

Of course, we can’t talk about San Andreas without mentioning the ‘Hot Coffee’ controversy. Early drafts of the game included a sex-minigame (called Hot Coffee) involving CJ and his girlfriend in some adult situations. The minigame was eventually dropped and made inaccessible for players, but modders discovered its existence and released a modified code where you could play the minigame. This resulted in legal backlash for Rockstar and the rating of San Andreas being changed to ‘Adults Only’. Eventually, Rockstar re-released San Andreas with Hot Coffee removed, and the rating got changed back to ‘Mature’.

This controversy didn’t ruin the sales, because all the incredibly high records that GTA already set were quickly smashed by San Andreas. It became the highest-selling game on the PS2 and holds that title to this day. The game is also still on the list of all-time best-selling games.

GTA 4 doesn’t have the biggest map, but it’s definitely the densest in the series (at this point). The developers wanted Liberty City to feel real and less cartoony. To achieve this, they used new technical developments like motion capture for the character’s physical performance. GTA IV also introduced the concept of an HD Universe, which is an imaginary universe that mirrors and parodies our own world. This meant the game included cellphones, fake brands, TV shows and radio stations, all inspired by real-life ones.

After the linear gameplay in San Andreas, more emphasis was placed on choices in GTA IV. The decisions you made in the story had a much bigger impact and could even lead to the death of a character.

The fastest-selling game ever

Grand Theft Auto 4 broke all the records already set by the franchise. The game broke the Guinness World Record for fastest-selling video game within 24 hours, and to this day it is one of the top best-selling games of all time. Besides that, the game is still ranked as the 3rd best game of all time on Metacritic.

Grand Theft Auto IV Expansion Packs

GTA VI got a bunch of exciting prequels and expansions.

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned (2009)
The Lost and Damned was the first GTA 4 expansion to come out. It follows the story of Johnny Klebitz, vice-president of a motorcycle gang. The improved motorcycle mechanics, amazing voice acting and addictive multiplayer mode, made this expansion a success with critics and players alike.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009)
In 2009, GTA released a new game for the DS: Chinatown Wars. The game is a sequel to GTA IV and follows the story of Triad member Huang Lee and his effort to hunt down a stolen sword. To squeeze Liberty City on the DS, the game went back to the top-down perspective and cartoon graphics. That didn’t ruin the fun, though! Chinatown Wars was praised for its creative visuals, and IGN UK even called it ‘A masterpiece in handheld gaming’.

Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony (2009)
The Ballad of Gay Tony was another GTA 4 expansion which follows Luis Fernando Lopez. He’s a former drug dealer-turned-bodyguard who assists his best friend Anthony Prince (Gay Tony), a nightclub magnate. Luis helps Anthony overcome all sorts of problems including drugs, debt disputes and even murder attempts. Although the expansion was less popular than The Lost and Damned, it was still pretty popular.
Of course, we can’t talk about San Andreas without mentioning the ‘Hot Coffee’ controversy. Early drafts of the game included a sex-minigame (called Hot Coffee) involving CJ and his girlfriend in some adult situations. The minigame was eventually dropped and made inaccessible for players, but modders discovered its existence and released a modified code where you could play the minigame. This resulted in legal backlash for Rockstar and the rating of San Andreas being changed to ‘Adults Only’. Eventually, Rockstar re-released San Andreas with Hot Coffee removed, and the rating got changed back to ‘Mature’.

This controversy didn’t ruin the sales, because all the incredibly high records that GTA already set were quickly smashed by San Andreas. It became the highest-selling game on the PS2 and holds that title to this day. The game is also still on the list of all-time best-selling games.

Universal acclaim

Not surprising, GTA V received universal acclaim from critics and players alike. It made 1 billion dollars in revenue in 3 days, and it became the 2nd best-selling game ever (right after Minecraft). On Metacritic, it’s the 10th highest ranked game of all time. Aside from that, GTA V also introduced Grand Theft Auto Online. Which we’ll get into next!

Grand Theft Auto Online (2013)

GTA Online is an open-world online multiplayer version of GTA V. It released a couple of weeks after GTA V, and even though it had a rocky start, Online quickly became popular. The game is basically GTA, but with the RPG and customization elements turned up to a hundred. You play as your own silent protagonist and slowly build your empire to become the best criminal in town. In 2015 heists were added to the game that allowed players to team up together and complete missions, which instantly became a beloved part of the game. GTA Online is still very popular today, and it receives regular updates where new cosmetics, heists, and other features are added. Online also has lots of fan-made game modes which are very popular among players.

There's so much more to discover in GTA 6. Click through our hub and catch up on all the news.