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The complete GTA timeline: find out which Grand Theft Auto suits you best

Sofia26 NOVEMBER 2025
Sunset over tangled motorways and distant towers, traffic flowing as a helicopter glides through the orange glow.

In this article, we walk you through the complete GTA timeline, including details on every title and the latest information on GTA VI. This way, you can see at a glance which GTA suits you best.

What is Grand Theft Auto?

Two sleek police sports cars race through the city, lights flashing as an armoured vehicle rumbles behind them.

Grand Theft Auto, or GTA, is a series of action games from Rockstar Games in which you freely roam large open cities and carry out missions in a criminal setting. The cities are usually based on American locations, such as Liberty City for New York and Vice City for Miami. Since the first release in 1997, the series has become a global classic, thanks in particular to its mix of story-driven gameplay, free exploration and unpredictable sandbox action. GTA is available on platforms such as PlayStation, Xbox, PC and Nintendo Switch.

All GTA games in chronological order

Below you’ll find all GTA titles in chronological order, including each game’s release year and the platforms they were released on.

Property nameYearPlatforms
Grand Theft Auto 1997PS1, Game Boy Color, PC
Grand Theft Auto: London 1961, Grand Theft Auto: London 19691999PS1, PC
Grand Theft Auto 21999PS1, Dreamcast, Game Boy Color, PC
Grand Theft Auto 32001PS2, Xbox, PC, macOS, Android, iOS, Fire OS
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City2002PS2, Xbox, PC, macOS, Android, iOS, Fire OS
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas2004PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, PC, macOS, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Oculus Quest 2
Grand Theft Auto Advance2004Game Boy Advance
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories2005PSP, PS2, PS3, Android, iOS, Fire OS
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories2006PSP, PS2 PS3
Grand Theft Auto IV2008PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned2009PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars2009Nintendo DS, PSP, Android, iOS, Fire OS
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony2009PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Grand Theft Auto V2013PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition2021PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC
Grand Theft Auto VI2026PS5, Xbox Series X|S

GTA 6 (Grand Theft Auto VI)

Neon lit night street where a police car is surrounded by partying women in bold outfits and two uniformed officers.

GTA VI is the next instalment in the Grand Theft Auto series and will be released on 19 November 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game is set in Vice City, a modern version of Miami, complemented by surrounding regions that together create a larger playable area than in previous titles. You follow a story with 2 main characters, Lucia and Jason, between whom you switch during missions. Apart from the setting and characters, Rockstar has confirmed few additional details so far, but many players expect a larger map and more dynamic weather conditions. As soon as more official information becomes available, it will become clearer exactly how GTA VI compares to the rest of the series.

Discover all rumours and news about GTA VI

GTA 5 (Grand Theft Auto V)

Evening traffic in a lively city as two sports cars cruise past palm trees and neon adverts beneath a pink sky.

GTA V was released in 2013 and is playable on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The game follows 3 main characters – Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton and Trevor Philips – each with their own storyline that constantly becomes intertwined. You explore Los Santos and the surrounding areas in a large open world with a wide range of activities such as missions, races and heists. Thanks to GTA Online, you can also explore the same world with other players and choose your own path within a constantly expanding online environment.

GTA 4 (Grand Theft Auto IV)

Massive suspension bridge packed with traffic at sunset, city skyscrapers in the distance and detailed steel cables.

GTA IV was released in 2008 and is available on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. The story is set in Liberty City, a city inspired by New York. You follow Niko Bellic, a war veteran trying to build a new life, who soon becomes involved in the criminal underworld through his cousin Roman. The game focuses on a more realistic style, with a stronger emphasis on character development and urban atmosphere than earlier entries in the series.

GTA 3 (Grand Theft Auto III)

Man in a leather jacket strides confidently down a busy city street, cars and waving US flags lining the road.

GTA III was released in 2001 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC and later also for mobile platforms. You play as Claude, who is betrayed by his partner Catalina after a bank robbery and subsequently imprisoned. During a transport he manages to escape and builds a criminal reputation in Liberty City while trying to track Catalina down. This game introduced the first fully three-dimensional open world in the series, allowing players to move freely through the city and tackle missions at their own pace.

GTA San Andreas

Massive suspension bridge packed with traffic at sunset, city skyscrapers in the distance and detailed steel cables.

GTA San Andreas was released in 2004 for PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC, and was later re-released as part of the trilogy on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. The story is set in the 1990s and follows Carl Johnson, who returns to Los Santos after his mother’s death. He becomes entangled in gang conflicts, police corruption and a fractured family, then travels across the state to strengthen his position and save his family. San Andreas is known for its vast world and extensive narrative structure.

GTA Vice City

Man in a blue Hawaiian shirt grips a silver revolver before a tall modern hotel and rows of swaying palm trees.

GTA Vice City was released in 2002 for PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC, and was later re-released as part of the trilogy for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. The game is set in the 1980s in a city based on Miami. You follow Tommy Vercetti, who is trying to work his way up in the criminal underworld from nothing. The neon colours, music and atmosphere of Vice City give the game a distinctive style that strongly reflects the era in which the story takes place.

GTA 2 (Grand Theft Auto II)

Top down retro city scene with a car, sandy road, grassy areas and a busy game HUD showing weapons, armour and scores.

GTA II was released in 1999 for PlayStation, Dreamcast, Game Boy Color and PC. The game uses a top-down perspective and is set in a city where multiple criminal factions are fighting for power. As the player, you choose which organisations to support or oppose, while the police, FBI and army respond to your actions. Thanks to the open structure, you decide how your reputation grows and which missions you take on.

GTA 1 (Grand Theft Auto I)

Top down view of a straight city street with cars and tall buildings, dominated by a bold yellow flaming title logo.

GTA I was released in 1997 for PC, MS‑DOS and PlayStation. The game uses a top-down perspective and lets you carry out missions in 3 different cities, focused on robberies, theft and fleeing from the police. By completing missions, you build a reputation in the criminal underworld. This first instalment laid the foundations for the later, more expansive open-world structure of the series.

Frequently asked questions about GTA

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