The Grand Theft Auto (GTA) video game franchise is considered by many one of the most successful action-adventure genres and has sold more than 280 million units at the time of this writing. This statistic makes GTA the 4th highest selling game series of all times.
In this article we have collected all GTA games in the series and list them below in chronological release. The games are grouped into “Main Series”, “Expansion Packs/Spin-Offs” and “Handheld Device Games”.
Table of Contents
Main Series
1) Grand Theft Auto – (1997)
Situated in San Andreas (San Francisco), Liberty City (New York City), and Vice City (Miami), Grand Theft Auto offers six action-packed levels.
Players can steal cars, kill cops, run over pedestrians, and interact with the world around them in this all-encompassing setting.
It’s filled with high-octane moments while allowing players to complete jobs and earn points along the way. Whether it’s finding special vehicles or robbing a bank, the jobs are unique and captivating.
This game is the beginning of what’s become a world-famous series across multiple consoles.
2) Grand Theft Auto 2 – (1999)
Grand Theft Auto 2 is set in a town with three districts (residential, downtown, and industrial). It transports the player to a near-future environment with the same thrill-filled moments and action scenes.
Play through a variety of missions while answering phones, robbing banks, and helping steal vehicles. Feel free to enjoy the environment and explore everything that it has to offer.
Whether it’s interacting with players or killing cops, the options are endless in this game.
3) Grand Theft Auto III – (2001)
Catalina and Claude Speed take their frenzy-ridden lives to Liberty City (New York City) after spending time in San Andreas.
Their criminal ways continue to be an integral component of who they are. Grand Theft Auto III leads to a twist in the tale as Catalina ends up joining Miguel and cutting ties with Claude before killing him.
While Claude continues his journey to recovery, the game turns towards a story of vengeance for those who want to get back for this disloyalty.
The game provides players with an all-encompassing set of missions to seek revenge and get back at Catalina for what she has done.
4) Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – (2002)
Noted for being one of the most popular Grand Theft Auto games and also being the best selling game in 2oo2, Vice City follows Tommy Vercetti after he’s released from prison.
The world is a lot different from what it was 15 years ago and it’s time for Tommy to get back to his criminal ways with the help of Sonny Forelli.
It starts with a typical drug job before things go pear-shaped and he’s left struggling to make things right.
To get his money back, Tommy has to go through the heart of Vice City and the path is laced with danger.
Whether it’s the gangsters, bikers, Cubans, or politicians, there’s always someone looking to get in Tommy’s way as he tries to get what he wants.
Players enjoy access to a wide array of features in this version including the ability to hop onto two-wheeled vehicles including motorcycles.
Speed around town completing missions while getting to make the most of these fascinating vehicles. For those who want to head up into the sky, this game ensures Tommy gets to fly small planes and helicopters while jumping to different parts of Vice City.
5) Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – (2004)
Situated during the 1990s, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a unique take at action, thrills, and loads of unfiltered emotion.
Set in the hands of Carl Johnson (C.J.), the player spends time in San Andreas after moving back from Liberty City. Being a former gang member, Carl Johnson walks into loads of trouble as he learns more about his past and everything that led to his mother’s death.
As he attends the funeral, Carl begins to understand what went wrong and how the police didn’t do its job. This game takes players on a journey as Carl aims to avenge the death and make things right again.
6) Grand Theft Auto IV – (2008)
Going back to its traditional roots, Grand Theft Auto IV is set in the heart of Liberty City. This time it’s set in the hands of Johnny Klebitz and his adventures throughout the region.
As the VP of a biker gang named The Lost Motorcycle Club, Johnny understands the ins and outs of being a criminal better than anyone else.
While he waits for the President to get better, the strong-hearted protagonist begins to position himself as a leader.
Whether it is handling new missions, setting standards, or focusing on the Angels of Death, there’s always something to do in Grand Theft Auto IV.
Start with Johnny’s adventures through Liberty City and see how they mesh together with Niko Bellic and his fascinating storyline.
It’s a story that’s jam-packed with action and has a little bit of everything for those who want to go on an adventure.
7) Grand Theft Auto V – (2013)
Set in the beautiful Los Santos, Grand Theft Auto V encompasses a wonderful cast of characters including Franklin, Trevor, and Michael.
Players can easily toggle through the different players to gain a new perspective of each mission throughout their journey.
Their personalities and actions provide a new flavor to each mission allowing players to see the details from different angles.
From complicated heists to challenging operations, the goal is to intertwine each character and understand the role they have to play in earning points.
Whether it’s bringing in henchmen or finding the right vehicles to travel across Los Santos, the opportunities are endless in this charming setting.
Enjoy a powerful set of missions with robberies, fast cars, illegal activities, and more in this incredible version of Grand Theft Auto.
8) Grand Theft Auto VI – GTA 6 (TBD)
Grand Theft Auto 5 was a groundbreaking game that left players extraordinarily curious about what could possibly come next.
But players had no idea just how much of a wait they were in store for. GTA 5 was released way back in 2013. And an official announcement that GTA 6 was being worked on wouldn’t even come until February 2022.
Rockstar has been extremely closelipped on the subject since that initial announcement. But some information has come out. Sometimes officially, other times through leaks, and even though the general rumor mill.
It’s important to keep in mind that even elements that are verified are subject to change before release. But with that in mind, there are some details about GTA 6 which give a fairly good idea of what to expect.
The most important point is that GTA 6 is thought to have a “Bonnie & Clyde” element. Signs of Vice City have also been seen within early GTA 6 gameplay footage.
As such, it’s probable that at least some parts of GTA’s Florida setting will make a return. There were some early rumors that GTA 6 might be set in the 80s.
But people have noted that cell phones can be spotted on pedestrians within some of the early in-game footage. As such it appears GTA 6 will have a modern setting.
Expansion Packs – Spin-Offs
9) Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 – (1999)
Noted as the first mission pack for Grand Theft Auto, this is an official expansion on the original version. Having left Miami, New York, and Los Angeles behind, it’s time to find a new urban playground to enjoy in the form of London.
Players get to enjoy a fascinating set of graphics, missions, and vehicles in the Victorian elegance of England’s finest city.
This expansion pack offers a wide array of missions while allowing players to immerse themselves in the London experience with its fun-filled references.
Take the opportunity to rob people, find speedy cars, and spend time completing criminal activities in this charming expansion pack. Organized crime has never been better than it is in this 1960’s version of London.
10) Grand Theft Auto: London 1961 – (1999)
This is mission pack #2 for Grand Theft Auto and requires the original version to work. In Grand Theft Auto: London 1961, players are transported into a beautiful part of historic England with its unique vehicles, Cockney slang, and renowned landmarks.
Players can enjoy a flurry of new cutscenes, brand-new English-styled vehicles, and the ability to head over to Manchester for a deathmatch. This expansion pack is a beautiful way to enjoy the perks of Grand Theft Auto in a fresh setting.
11) Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned – (2009)
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned is noted as being the original expansion pack for Grand Theft Auto IV.
Similar to the original game, this expansion pack is also set in the same setting of Liberty City but provides access to an interesting protagonist.
Becoming part of an enthralling biker gang and begin to appreciate the little tendencies that make it all work. Whether it’s hiring henchmen, interacting with other members, or completing missions, players get the immerse themselves in this fascinating setting.
For those wanting to spend a bit of free time enjoying Liberty City, it’s always easy to hop over to the clubhouse and participate in minigames such as pool, arm wrestling, and more.
The expansion pack also offers an ability to shift through different modes and appreciate the nuances of using weapons such as a pool cue, automatic 9mm, grenade launcher, and an assault shotgun.
12) Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony – (2009)
This is the second expansion pack for Grand Theft Auto IV and is established around a brand-new character in the form of Luis Fernando Lopez.
In this version, players get the play as a bodyguard for well-known drug lord Anthony “Gay Tony” Prince.
This adventure places players in the heart of a Dominican drug circle while living a life full of luxury. Whether it’s sleek sports cars, endless riches, or parachutes, it’s easier than ever before to appreciate everything that comes along with Grand Theft Auto IV.
While completing missions as Luis Fernando Lopez, players can revel in activities such as dancing at a nightclub and going for a round of golf.
13) GTA Online (2013)
GTA Online was originally launched in 2013 as little more than an online mode for Grand Theft Auto 5 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players would receive their own port in 2014. And one year later GTA Online would make its debut on Windows.
All of the various versions had a high level of feature parity. Aside from minor graphical enhancements, GTA Online is essentially the same game no matter what platform you’re playing on. But, unfortunately, there’s little in the way of true crossplay between the various platforms.
GTA Online may have begun as a secondary play mode for GTA V. But it’s benefitted from over nine years of often quite significant updates. 2015’s Heists update, in particular, vastly expanding the game’s capabilities and served as a solid proof of concept.
Heists made it clear that no matter where GTA Online started, it was heading down a path that made it a game unto itself. Heists featured new characters, missions, and perhaps most importantly leveraged online play to create original challenges and opportunities. And since Heists, GTA Online has built upon that concept in a number of unique and fun ways.
Today players can jump into GTA Online with up to 29 other players to explore a huge and lively San Andreas. The current state of GTA is essentially a heavily upgraded and expanded version of GTA V that can almost be seen as a sequel.
It takes most of what people loved about that game and opens it up to a more socially oriented gameplay style. GTA Online essentially made a famously open world even more expansive.
14) GTA: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition (2021)
GTA: The Trilogy was released in 2021 for almost all popular consoles. Mobile releases for Android and iOS are expected in 2023.
GTA: The Trilogy presents players with the chance to enjoy a remastered version of the first three Grand Theft Auto games on their platform of choice.
Like GTA Online, The Trilogy launched in a very unpolished state. Many of the graphical enhancements had been done through AI upscaling and this initially led to some bizarre sights within the game.
Rain was often blindly bright and capable of piercing solid structures or vehicles. Many people reported stability issues severe enough that the game was constantly crashing on them.
And even powerful systems were struggling to keep framerates up in both performance and fidelity modes. Even typos and spelling errors were fairly common.
However, over time, updates have been able to largely squash the majority of the bugs that originally shipped with GTA: The Trilogy.
Most systems should be able to run the game in performance mode with a solid 60 FPS even if fidelity mode can still be hit or miss.
The problems with rain and ambient weather conditions have been fixed. And even minor issues like typos have been corrected. Today GTA: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition mostly lives up to the name.
It takes almost all of the great things about the first three GTA games and presents it all in a new and more up-to-date engine. GTA: The Trilogy takes three great games and gives them new textures, stylistic improvements, and even some assets from GTA V.
Handheld Games
15) Grand Theft Auto Advance – (2004)
Grand Theft Auto Advance begins with a beautiful backdrop of Liberty City as the protagonist plans to retire peacefully. Just like most things in Liberty City, it’s not easy to quit and this last job becomes the beginning of something bigger.
After seeing Vinney get murdered, the police try to put it on you making it impossible to walk through the area. To prove your innocence, it’s time to locate Vinney’s killer and seek vengeance.
16) Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories – (2005)
Set in 1998, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories follows Toni Cipriani as he completes an entertaining list of missions. Having to begin in the pits of a local mob, it’s time for Toni Cipriani to show what he’s all about and why he deserves to rise the rankings.
Players get an opportunity to become a part of the mob, fight with other mafia families, and complete missions throughout the city.
17) Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories – (2006)
A few years before Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Vic Vance takes center stage as the protagonist in this high-octane prequel. In 1984, Vic has spent time in the army and is a proud man with a loving family that’s important to him.
However, what was a life he had been proud of goes out of control after a bad decision. To survive and grow, it’s time for Vic to take things into his own hands while strolling through the streets of Vice City.
Will he build a successful empire and grow into a powerful figure or will he die? Joining with his brother Lance, it’s time for the siblings to take over Vice City in this captivating prequel.
18) Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars – (2009)
In Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, the game is set in a beautiful Liberty City as the journey of vengeance begins.
Huang Lee is the main protagonist in this fun-filled version equipped with an intriguing personality. As a member of the Triads, Huang Lee understands how important it is to do his job and recognize his position.
All of this goes pear-shaped after his father’s assassination when Huang goes to deliver a sword to his Uncle Kenny.
After getting ambushed during the meeting, it’s time for Huang to get revenge for the assassination and bring back the ceremonial sword that was precious to his father.
