All Grand Theft Auto: GTA Games in Order of Release Date & Chronology
Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is one of the biggest game series in the world which spans more than two decades – dating all the way back to 1997. But how many GTA games have been released, what’s the correct release order of GTA games, how do GTA games fit chronologically, what are all GTA games in order of release date, and are we overdue for Grand Theft Auto: GTA 6? It’s fair to say that GTA games are now taking longer to develop and launch.
GTA Vice City and GTA III were split by just a year, and GTA San Andreas came out two years later. By contrast, GTA V came out five years after GTA IV. And now we’re in 2022, still waiting for GTA 6 nearly 10 years on. There’s no exact word on GTA 6 release date or when GTA 6 come out, but fans are hopeful for a 2023/2024 launch.
In any case, there are plenty of ways to order Grand Theft Auto games by release date, year, chronology, story mode, etc., so here are some of the key lists of all GTA games in order you need.
In this post, we have listed all the GTA games that have been launched to date by the order of their release date. So, without any further ADO let’s get straight to it.
About Grand Theft Auto (GTA)
Created by David Jones and Mike Dailly, Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is a series of action-adventure games, which was primarily developed by Rockstar North (formerly DMA Design), and published by its parent company, Rockstar Games. The name of the series references the term “Grand Theft Auto“, used in the USA for motor vehicle theft.
Grand Theft Auto (GTA) gameplay focuses on an open world where the player can complete various missions to progress an overall story, as well as engage in miscellaneous side activities. The games in the Grand Theft Auto series are set in fictional locales modeled after real-life cities, at various points in time from the early’s 1960s to the 2010s.
Most Grand Theft Auto games are set in fictional parodies of well-known US cities, in a number of different time periods. The original GTA map contained three cities—Liberty City (based on New York City), San Andreas (based on San Francisco), and Vice City (based on Miami).
DMA Design began the GTA series in 1997, with the release of the Grand Theft Auto. As of 2020, the GTA series consists of seven standalone titles and four expansion packs. Released in 2011, the third main title, Grand Theft Auto III is considered a landmark game, as it brought the series to a 3D (three-dimensional) setting and a more immersive gaming experience.
Subsequent titles have followed and built upon the concept established in Grand Theft Auto III and received significant acclaim. They have influenced other open-world action games and led to the label Grand Theft Auto (GTA) clone on similar titles.
The Grand Theft Auto series belongs to a genre of free-roaming role-playing video games called open-world games and grants a large amount of freedom to the player.
Grand Theft Auto: All GTA Games in Order You Need To Know
There are eight main GTA titles. On top of that, we’re listing the eight available expansions of GTA, four spin-offs, and four bundles / remasters of Grand Theft Auto. The total is 20 GTA entries in all GTA games in order list.
List of All Main GTA Games in Release Order
Probably the most useful list is the main Grand Theft Auto games in order and they are as follows:
- Grand Theft Auto – 1997
- Grand Theft Auto 2 – 1999
- Grand Theft Auto III – 2001
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – 2002
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – 2004
- Grand Theft Auto IV – 2008
- Grand Theft Auto V – 2013
- Grand Theft Auto VI – [Coming Soon]
| Release Year | GTA Title | PC/Mac | Mobile | Video Game Consoles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Grand Theft Auto | Windows / MS-DOS | N.A. | PlayStation 1 |
| 1999 | Graft Theft Auto 2 | Windows | N.A. | PlayStation 1 / Dreamcast |
| 2001 | Grand Theft Auto III | Windows / OS X | Android / iOS / Fire OS | PlayStation 2 / Xbox |
| 2002 | Grand Theft Auto: Vice City | Windows / OS X | Android / iOS / Fire OS | PlayStation 2 / Xbox |
| 2004 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | Windows / OS X | Android / iOS / Fire OS / Windows Phone | PlayStation 2 / Xbox / PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360 |
| 2008 | Grand Theft Auto IV | Windows | N.A. | PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360 |
| 2013 | Grand Theft Auto V | Windows | N.A. | PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360 / PlayStation 4 / Xbox One / PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X / Xbox Series S |
| Coming Soon | Grand Theft Auto VI | Windows | N.A. | PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X / Xbox Series S |
All Main GTA Games in Chronological Order List
Following is a list of all main GTA games in chronological order based on when their stories took place:
It’s unclear when GTA 6 will be set, but it’s likely that it could be whenever the release year is – based on recent game entries.
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – 1986
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – 1992
- Grand Theft Auto – 1997
- Grand Theft Auto III – 2001
- Grand Theft Auto IV – 2008
- Grand Theft Auto V – 2013
- Grand Theft Auto 6 – [Coming Soon]
| GTA Title | Year | PC/Mac | Mobile | Gaming Consoles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Theft Auto: Vice City | 1986 | Windows / OS X | Android / iOS / Fire OS | PlayStation 2 / Xbox |
| Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | 1992 | Windows / OS X | Android / iOS / Fire OS / Windows Phone | PlayStation 2 / Xbox / PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360 |
| Grand Theft Auto | 1997 | Windows / MS-DOS | – | PlayStation 1 |
| Grand Theft Auto III | 2001 | Windows / OS X | Android / iOS / Fire OS | PlayStation 2 / Xbox |
| Grand Theft Auto IV | 2008 | Windows | – | PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360 |
| Grand Theft Auto V | 2013 | Windows | – | PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360 / PlayStation 4 / Xbox One / PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X / Xbox Series S |
| Grand Theft Auto 6 | – | Windows | – | PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X / Xbox Series S |
All GTA Compilations and Remasters List
Here are the Grand Theft Auto remasters and compilation bundles:
- Grand Theft Auto: Director’s Cut – 1999
- Grand Theft Auto: The Classics Collection – 2003
- Grand Theft Auto: Double Pack – 2003
- Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – 2005
- Grand Theft Auto: Double Pack – 2005
- Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City – 2009
- Grand Theft Auto IV: Complete Edition – 2010
- Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition – 2021
| GTA Title | Year | PC/Mac | Mobile | Gaming Consoles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Theft Auto: Director’s Cut | 1999 | Windows / MS-DOS | – | PlayStation 1 |
| Grand Theft Auto: The Classics Collection | 2003 | Windows | – | PlayStation 1 |
| Grand Theft Auto: Double Pack | 2003 | – | – | PlayStation 2 / Xbox |
| Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy | 2005 | Windows / OS X | – | PlayStation 2 / Xbox |
| Grand Theft Auto: Double Pack | 2005 | – | – | PlayStation 2 |
| Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City | 2009 | Windows | – | PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360 |
| Grand Theft Auto IV: Complete Edition | 2010 | Windows | – | PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360 |
| Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition | 2021 | Windows | Android / iOS | Nintendo Switch / PlayStation 4 / Xbox One / PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X / Xbox Series S |
All GTA Games in Release Date Order
Here are all of the GTA games in order of release:
- Grand Theft Auto – 1997
- Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 – 1999
- Grand Theft Auto: London 1961 – 1999
- Grand Theft Auto 2 – 1999
- Grand Theft Auto III – 2001
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – 2002
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – 2004
- Grand Theft Auto Advance – 2004
- Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories – 2005
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories – 2006
- Grand Theft Auto IV – 2008
- Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars – 2009
- Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned – 2009
- Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony – 2009
- Grand Theft Auto V – 2013
1. Grand Theft Auto (1997)
In Grand Theft Auto 1 (GTA), as a young street hustler, you explore the free world of Liberty City while doing jobs and assignments. These include things like open-world, driving and stealing cars, crime and violence, and the wanted star rating.
The GTA was released in 1997 for MS-DOS and Windows computers. It was also released on the original Playstation and the Game Boy Color.
Release Date: October 21, 1997
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Windows PC / PlayStation 1 / Game Boy Color
2. Grand Theft Auto: London, 1969
Grand Theft Auto: London, 1969 is an expansion pack for Grand Theft Auto (1997), adding new missions and vehicles to the game.
The Grand Theft Auto: London, 1969 was released in 1999 on Windows computers. It was also released on the Sony PlayStation 1.
Release Date: April 30, 1999
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Windows PC / PlayStation 1
3. Grand Theft Auto: London, 1961
Grand Theft Auto: London, 1961 is one of two download-only expansion packs for Grand Theft Auto (1997) released a few months after GTA: London 1969.
It includes the first instance of the Drive-By Shooting feature as well as expanded multiplayer mechanics, new missions, 20+ new vehicles, and a new multiplayer deathmatch map.
The Grand Theft Auto: London, 1961 was released in 1999 for Windows PC computers only.
Release Date: June 1, 1999
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Windows PC
4. Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999)
Grand Theft Auto 2 is a sequel to Grand Theft Auto (1997), this game once again puts the player in the role of an aspiring thug hoping to climb to the top of the criminal world by completing missions and terrorizing the citizenry.
GTA 2 was released in 1999 for Windows PC computers. It was also released on the original Playstation 1, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Dreamcast.
Release Date: September 30, 1999
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Windows PC / PlayStation 1 / Game Boy / Game Boy Color / Dreamcast
5. Grand Theft Auto III (2001)
In Grand Theft Auto III – a young bank robber escapes from police custody and works his way up through the mafia ladder of crime-ridden Liberty City, USA.
GTA 3 was released in 2001 for Windows PC computers. It was also released on the original PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Android, iOS, and macOS X.
Release Date: October 22, 2001
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Windows PC / PlayStation 2 / PlayStation 3 / Xbox / Android / iOS / macOS X
6. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002)
In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, after being released from jail, Tommy Vercetti left Liberty City for Vice City, a city overrun by the mob. Now, Tommy is out to make Vice City his home.
GTA Vice City was released in 2002 for Windows PC. It was also released on the original PlayStation 2, Xbox, Android, iOS, Fire OS, and macOS X.
Release Date: October 29, 2002
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Windows PC / PlayStation 2 / Fire OS / Xbox / Android / iOS / macOS X
7. Grand Theft Auto Advance (2004)
In Grand Theft Auto Advance, Mike and Vinne are criminals in Liberty City who are ready to leave the city. Everything is going to plan until Vinne is killed in an explosion. Now Mike is on a quest to find who killed him.
GTA Advance was released in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance and not on PCs or consoles.
Release Date: October 26, 2004
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Game Boy Advance
8. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)
In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, a family tragedy prompts gangster Carl “CJ” Johnson to return home, only to find it overrun by crime and corruption, and he must regain control of the streets before it gets even worse.
The GTA San Andreas features three different cities, Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas, among other outdoor settings. It was released in 2004 for Windows PC and other platforms.
Release Date: October 26, 2004
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Windows PC / PlayStation 2 / PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360 / Fire OS / Xbox / Android / iOS / Windows Phone / macOS X
9. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005)
In Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, Toni Cipriani works for Salvatore Leone and must clear Salvatore’s path against the rest gang organizations contending to be the boss of the crime world.
The GTA Liberty City Stories was released in 2005 for PlayStation Portable (PSP), Android, PlayStation 2, iOS, and Fire OS.
Release Date: October 24, 2005
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: PlayStation Portable (PSP) / PlayStation 2 / Android / iOS / Fire OS
10. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (2006)
In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, a young man who’s kicked out of the army precedes to rise through the ranks of multiple gangs in the glamourous and dangerous Vice City in the mid-1980s.
The GTA Vice City Stories was released in 2006 for Windows PC, PlayStation Portable (PSP), PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3.
Release Date: October 31, 2006
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Windows PC / PlayStation 2 / PlayStation 3 / PlayStation Portable (PSP)
11. Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)
In Grand Theft Auto IV, Niko Bellic comes to Liberty City, America to live the good life, but ends up having to assist his dangerously indebted cousin Roman with his financial troubles, by any (mostly illegal) means necessary.
It also started the “HD Universe,” which includes the different GTA games that feature Rockstar’s new RAGE engine. The GTA 4 was released in 2008 for Windows PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.
Release Date: April 29, 2008
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Windows PC / PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360
12. Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned (2009)
In Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned, when Billy Grey returns from rehab hell-bent on bloodshed and debauchery, Johnny Klebitz finds himself in the middle of a vicious turf war with rival gangs for control of a city torn apart by violence and corruption.
The GTA 4 The Lost and Damned was released in 2009 for Windows PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.
Release Date: February 17, 2009
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Windows PC / PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360
13. Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony (2009)
In Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony, Luis Lopez is forced to help his boss Anthony “Gay Tony” Prince and clean up his mess, discovering that the rich life of Liberty City is just as dangerous as the tough streets where Luis grew up.
The GTA 4 The Ballad of Gay Tony was released in 2009 for Windows PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. It acts as an expansion to Grand Theft Auto IV but doesn’t require a copy of the game to run.
Release Date: October 29, 2009
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Windows PC / PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360
14. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009)
In Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, Triad gangster Huang Lee arrives in Liberty City to return a family heirloom and seek vengeance upon the thugs who murdered his father.
The GTA Chinatown Wars was released in 2009 for Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable (PSP), Android, and iOS.
Release Date: March 17, 2009
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Nintendo DS / PlayStation Portable (PSP) / Android / iOS
15. Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
In Grand Theft Auto V, three very different criminals team up for a series of heists and walk into some of the most thrilling experiences in the corrupt city of Los Santos.
The GTA 5 was released in 2013 for Windows PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, and Xbox 360.
Release Date: September 17, 2013
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Windows PC / PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 3 / Xbox Series X / Xbox Series S / Xbox One / Xbox 360
16. Grand Theft Auto Online (2013)
In Grand Theft Auto Online, the player must go up in the life of crime doing jobs for the crime associates he gets to know.
GTA Online is Rockstar’s first actual multiplayer game that allows players to go online and play with people all over the world.
The GTA Online was released in 2013 for Windows PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, and Xbox 360.
Release Date: September 17, 2013
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Windows PC / PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 3 / Xbox Series X / Xbox Series S / Xbox One / Xbox 360
17. Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition (2021)
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition will feature re-mastered editions of GTA III, as well as Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. It was developed by Grove Street Games and published by Rockstar Games.
The GTA The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition was released in 2021 for Windows PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, and Xbox 360.
Release Date: November 11, 2021
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Windows PC / PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 3 / Xbox Series X / Xbox Series S / Xbox One / Xbox 360 / Nintendo Switch
18. Grand Theft Auto VI (2025)
Grand Theft Auto VI was officially announced as being in development by Rockstar Games on February 4, 2022, on the Rockstar Newswire.
We expect that GTA 6 will be released in 2025 for Windows PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 6, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.
Release Date: 2025 (United States)
Genres: Action, Crime
Platforms: Windows PC / PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X / Xbox Series S / PlayStation 6
In What Order Should You Play the GTA Series?
Grand Theft Auto GTA features stories and characters in a variety of fictional settings. Despite being a part of the same universe, they aren’t necessarily direct sequels to each other. Therefore, the order in which you play GTA is entirely up to you.
Conclusion
And those were all the released Grand Theft Auto games to date. The GTA franchise has been around for 25 years now, and it’s still proceeding strong. There’s no doubt that GTA is definitely one of the most successful games in the history of video games. Nothing beats an open-world sandbox-type game filled with violence, crimes, and RPG elements.
Grand Theft Auto GTA games are definitely among some of the best PC games to play offline as well as online with friends, especially the online versions.
Learn More:
