GTA Games in Order: Play Grand Theft Auto Chronologically and by Release Date

Rockstar Games struck gold with Grand Theft Auto. The franchise has sold over 430 million units since its inception, cementing its place as one of gaming’s greatest experiences. With GTA 6 on the horizon, there’s no better time to play all the GTA games in order. Dive into some of the medium’s best storytelling backed with clever plots, solid voice acting, and wacky characters.

While all GTA games share some DNA, it’s clear that Rockstar made major leaps with each sequel, from larger and more detailed environments to memorable plots and fun things to do outside the story. After all, the GTA timeline spans multiple generations of PCs and consoles. Before GTA 6 arrives in 2025, get your homework done with a list of all the GTA games in order, sorted by release date and chronological order.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. GTA Games in Order of Release Date
3. GTA Games in Chronological Order
4. Full List of GTA Games in Detail
5. The Bottom Line
6. FAQs

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. GTA Games in Order of Release Date
3. GTA Games in Chronological Order
Show Full Guide
4. Full List of GTA Games in Detail
5. The Bottom Line
6. FAQs

GTA Games in Order of Release Date

If you’re looking to play all Grand Theft Auto games in order based on when they were released, here’s how you should proceed.

GTA Games in Chronological Order

Rockstar’s GTA timeline is split between 2D, 3D, and HD variants. While you might have to play some new titles before older ones, doing so will give you a good understanding of the timelines of key characters. Note that we’ve summed things up to the best of our knowledge, as the story arcs don’t always intersect neatly.

Full List of GTA Games in Detail

Now that you know what order to start the games in, here’s what you need to know about what each GTA game brought to the table. All of Rockstar’s games pushed the boundaries of gaming back when they were released, meaning you’ll see a gradual bump in visual fidelity and game mechanics as you play through the GTA timeline. We’ve expanded on the above list of GTA games in chronological order with what made them receive critical acclaim and secure a devoted fanbase:

Grand Theft Auto

Here’s where it all began. Grand Theft Auto’s brand of violence was almost banned at one point, but that merely added fuel to the hype train. Missions were split across Liberty City, Vice City, and San Andreas in 1997, and you could pick from eight unique protagonists. While it looked nothing like the more modern GTA games, it’s clear the developers had grand ambitions right from day one. Heists, getaways, assassinations, the game had them all.

As GTA grew in popularity, it paved the way for sequels, with all GTA games retaining its core idea of examining facets of the criminal underworld.

Grand Theft Auto: London 1961

The second expansion pack for Grand Theft Auto, London 1961, takes place eight years before the first expansion (London 1969), and you’ll get to play as the same protagonists. Harold Cartwright is one of the mobsters who will be handing out assignments for you to clear. While it was released as a freeware expansion pack, it was later released in the UK via a special release. This had all the GTA London content from both mission packs.

Grand Theft Auto: London 1969

London 1969 was an expansion to Rockstar Games’ first Grand Theft Auto title in the 2D timeline. With a groovy soundtrack and eight protagonists to pick from, players could challenge rival gangs and the law as they drove and shot through enemies and civilians. Harold Cartwright’s gang is back, and you’ll also meet the Crisp Twins, a pair of powerful crime lords.

Grand Theft Auto 2

GTA 2 stuck to the 2D perspective but shook things up with a brand-new futuristic setting: the metropolis of Anywhere-City. As you served or fought crime syndicates such as Claude Speed or simply wreaked havoc on the city, the game had an assortment of unique vehicles and weapons to take advantage of.

The franchise was built with non-linear gameplay in mind, and GTA 2’s seven gangs ensured that you could engage in turf wars or earn respect on your terms. It’s a fitting addition that ends the 2D GTA timeline.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

Set two years before the events of GTA Vice City; the 3D timeline begins when Victor Vance is tossed into the underworld after being framed for a crime by his sergeant. This dishonorable discharge kicks off the story. With his brother Lance, Victor begins to set up a crime family in Vice City. It’s a good way to get acquainted with the backstories of characters you will encounter in the main Vice City game.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Tommy Verceti is the star of GTA’s 3D timeline darling, Vice City. Sent to the city to oversee his boss’ business, the gruff but likable gangster returns to this role as a reward for serving jail time on the family’s behalf. It doesn’t take long for the man to fumble a drug deal.

Itching for redemption, Tommy partners with Lance Vance to grow his influence and run a crime syndicate. It doesn’t take long for the big bad gangs in Vice City to take notice. And yes, this is the one with the RC helicopter mission that gamers hate to this day. It’s an experience that, despite its rough edges, is well worth playing even today.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

San Andreas takes place in the 90s, with references to several events and gangs that were prominent in the era. Protagonist Carl Johnson, known as CJ, remains one of gaming’s best protagonists as he worked towards reuniting the Grove Street gang.

Those streets will be familiar to anyone who grew up in the 2000s, and there’s plenty of gang warfare and betrayal to look forward to if you’re thinking of returning to Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas. Just try not to get lost in its side activities. In the words of the iconic character Big Smoke, sometimes, “All we had to do was follow the damn train, CJ!”

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

Set in 1998, Liberty City Stories serves as a prequel of sorts with its focus on Tony Cipriano. After killing a Made Man, he’s on the run from the Italian Mafia and starts working for his previous employer Salvatore Leone. As he clears crime bosses and gangs from the map, he rises in the Leone family and helps set the stage for GTA 3. It’s a pivot for the GTA timeline, but a story worth experiencing.

Grand Theft Auto Advance

Considering how limited Nintendo’s Gameboy Advance was in terms of hardware, don’t expect a visual wonder in Grand Theft Auto Advance. Also a prequel to GTA 3, the game follows Mike and Vinne who want to leave Liberty City for good. Unfortunately, Vinne is killed by a car bomb, throwing Mike into a mission of revenge. You’ll spot many characters from GTA 3 here as you play through the game.

Grand Theft Auto 3

GTA 3 is the first in the 3D timeline but arrives last on the chronological list. The game takes place in 2001 and focuses on Claude (not the one in GTA 2) after he’s betrayed during a heist. After an arrest, he evades incarceration thanks to a conveniently timed prison convoy raid by the Colombian Cartel in a bid to rescue someone else.

Claude slowly rises through the gangs of Liberty City to get revenge on Catalina, his girlfriend who orchestrated the failed heist. If you haven’t experienced the struggle of Espresso-2-Go!’s challenge of finding nine unmarked coffee stalls across three islands in eight minutes, GTA 3 awaits.

Grand Theft Auto 4

Kicking off the HD timeline in 2008, GTA 4 was released on the PS3 and Xbox 360, giving it incredible visuals that outshone the previous entry. Considered one of the more grittier entries in the series, the game puts you in the shoes of Niko Bellic, an ex-soldier from Yugoslavia. With his annoying cousin Roman, he stumbles into the criminal underground of Liberty City to pay off his cousin’s debts.

Eventually, the Russian mob set their sights on Niko, forcing him to work for unsavory gangs and organizations to survive. It’s easily one of the more compelling entries on a list filled with knockout commercial hits. If you don’t want to play all Grand Theft Auto games in order, hop into an HD game like GTA 4 right away and skip having to deal with legacy mechanics.

Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned

Set in the same timeframe as GTA 4, this expansion focuses on Johnny Klebitz, the vice-president of The Lost MC motorbike gang. As its president Billy Grey was in rehab, he took over the gang and made peace with the Angels of Death, once-bitter rivals of The Lost MC. On Billy’s return, a brutal war between the gangs kicks off. It’s a neat addition to the franchise with a sharper focus on what it means to be loyal to an organization.

Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony

The Ballad of Gay Tony features Luis Lopez, Tony’s bodyguard, who does his best to keep his boss’ business alive. Despite his former success, Tony Prince falls into debt with Liberty City’s Ancelotti crime family and it’s time to pay up. Luis ends up working overtime to keep the gangs from ripping Tony’s nightclubs and business ventures to shreds. You’ll see some familiar characters on this rollercoaster as well.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

While it’s visually inferior to the other games in the HD timeline as a Nintendo DS and PSP release, Chinatown Wars is still a significant title in its own right. Set in 2009, Huang Lee is the star of the show. The son of a murdered Triad leader, the protagonist travels to Liberty City to meet his uncle Wu Kenny Lee and hand him a precious heirloom: the Yu Jian sword.

In true GTA timeline fashion, things go wrong almost immediately. Armed forces kill his guards and almost take out Huang in the process. He survives and gets to Kenny in time. They team up to take the sword back and elevate Kenny to a successor to the Liberty City Triad gang.

Grand Theft Auto Online

While GTA Online is bundled with GTA 5, some of its events occur before the mainline title. That’s why the online experience sits above it in the GTA timeline. You get to create your character and rack up cash through a variety of activities, from basic tasks to high-profile heists with friends. Its events have breathed new life into the old game, giving it some absurdly long legs in the profit department. Characters like Lester and Franklin from the main game make an appearance as well. Expect Rockstar Games to wrap things up as we inch closer to GTA 6.

Grand Theft Auto 5

Right behind Minecraft in the list of the best-selling games of all time, GTA 5 has enjoyed several launches across console generations. I’ll never forget how excited I was when I saw its first trailer. With multiple protagonists, Michael Townley, Franklin Clinton, and Trevor Philips, the game’s story is split between these perspectives, letting you hop between them outside of key moments.

Initially set in 2004, the game starts with a failed robbery by Michael and Trevor in Ludendorff. Their fellow criminal Brad is killed, and Trevor flees, fearing Michael to be dead. It turns out that Michael is alive and goes into a witness protection program. He lives in Los Santos with his family but is pulled into crime once more when he meets Franklin Clinton. The game packs an incredible plot packed with imperfect characters and heartfelt moments as they go against the city’s top organisations.

Grand Theft Auto 6

Based on the short trailer that set the world ablaze, GTA 6 is expected to feature two protagonists, a duo who will take on threats together. There’s plenty of Florida-inspired mayhem in the trailer too. Expect to learn more about the game’s new additions and features as we near its 2025 release date. That wraps up all GTA games in order of release and chronological order in the timeline for now.

The Bottom Line

The Grand Theft Auto series has persisted for decades, and it’s easy to see why. All the GTA games are some of the largest and most well-realized of the open-world genre, with incredible stories, exciting gameplay, and a level of detail few other games can reach. Hype is high for GTA 6, and if Rockstar keeps up the momentum its gained over the past 20 years, then the latest entry in the franchise could rank among its best.

FAQs