The Lost and Damned (biker gang warfare) and The Ballad of Gay Tony (high-end nightclubs and ridiculous weaponry) proved that DLC could be as good as a full game. They interlinked with GTA IV’s main story, showing the same events from different perspectives.
The revolution started here. GTA III placed players in the shoes of Claude, a silent protagonist betrayed by his girlfriend. Set in a grey, grimy Liberty City, this title introduced the third-person over-the-shoulder camera and a living, breathing city with police chases, taxis, and pedestrian AI.
Why it matters: It is the blueprint for every open-world game that followed. GTA III sold over 14 million copies and saved the franchise from obscurity. GTA Games
Rockstar moved to the PS3/Xbox 360 generation, resetting the canon. The "HD Universe" is the current continuity, featuring redesigned maps and characters.
What can be said about GTA V that hasn't already been written into the record books? As of 2024, it has sold over 200 million copies, making it the second best-selling video game of all time (behind only Minecraft). The Lost and Damned (biker gang warfare) and
Rockstar introduced the three-protagonist system: Michael (the retired heist man), Franklin (the young hustler), and Trevor (the psychotic wild card). Switching between them on the fly changed how missions worked, allowing for complex heists that required planning and execution.
Set in the satirical wasteland of modern Los Santos (Los Angeles), the game mocked social media, tech bros, and celebrity culture. The online component, GTA Online, launched bumpily but eventually became a live-service juggernaut, generating billions of dollars through Shark Cards. It has survived three console generations (PS3 to PS5). GTA III placed players in the shoes of
Before Niko Bellic and Michael De Santa, there were nameless protagonists and a red car that looked suspiciously like a Fiat.