Honestly, if you ask a casual fan where the 2001 classic Grand Theft Auto III is set, they’ll probably just shrug and say "New York." They aren't entirely wrong, but they’re definitely missing the bigger picture.
The game takes place in Liberty City, a sprawling, rain-soaked metropolis that serves as the dark heart of the GTA "3D Universe." While it’s famously based on the Big Apple, the reality is way more of a "Frankenstein’s Monster" of American urban decay. It’s not a 1:1 replica. Instead, it’s a mood. It’s a vibe. It’s a messy, grey collision of every gritty East Coast and Midwestern city you've ever seen in a 1970s crime flick.
The Three Islands of Liberty City
The map isn't just one big landmass. It’s broken into three distinct islands that unlock as you claw your way up the criminal food chain. Rockstar used these bridges as literal progress bars—basically, if the bridge is blown up or "under repair," you haven't earned the right to see the rest of the world yet.
Portland: The Gritty Industrial Start
You start your journey in Portland. It's the industrial "blue-collar" district. Think of it as the parts of Brooklyn or Queens that tourists never want to visit. It’s full of docks, warehouses, and the Red Light District. It’s where the Leone Mafia family calls the shots from their high-hill mansion, while the Triads and Diablos scrap over the cramped streets of Chinatown and Hepburn Heights. It feels oily. It smells like exhaust and cheap noodles.
Staunton Island: The Corporate Jungle
Once the Callahan Bridge is fixed, you move to Staunton Island. This is the "Manhattan" of the game. It’s all about massive skyscrapers, expensive suits, and the billionaire lifestyle. You’ve got Belleville Park (the game's version of Central Park) and the high-rises of Bedford Point. But don't let the shiny windows fool you; this island is just as corrupt as the docks. The Yakuza and the Colombian Cartel have essentially turned these corporate lobbies into war zones.
Shoreside Vale: Suburban Bliss or Nightmare?
Finally, you reach Shoreside Vale. It’s the suburbs. You’ll find Francis International Airport here, along with the luxury mansions of Cedar Grove. It looks "nicer" on the surface—picket fences, swimming pools, and hills—but the Colombian Cartel runs the show from their compound. It’s a weird, hilly place where the wealthy hide their blood money.
It’s Not Just New York: The Secret Inspirations
Here is where it gets interesting. While Liberty City is the "New York" of the GTA world, the developers at DMA Design (now Rockstar North) didn’t just look at Manhattan.
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The team was actually based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Because of that, you can see bits of the UK peaking through. The port areas in Portland? Those actually take a lot of inspiration from the docks of Leith in Scotland.
Beyond that, the writers and designers pulled elements from:
- Philadelphia (the general gritty feel and certain brickwork).
- Chicago (the elevated "El-Train" system in Portland).
- Baltimore and Detroit (the crumbling industrial aesthetic).
Dan Houser, one of the primary writers, famously mentioned that the goal wasn't to make a tourist map. It was to make a "typical American city" where a small-time criminal like Claude could start from the absolute bottom.
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The Mystery of "Ghost Town"
If you’ve ever messed around with the Dodo plane (the one with the clipped wings that barely flies), you might have found the legendary Ghost Town.
Located "behind" the hills of Shoreside Vale, this is a small, untextured street floating in the void. For years, fans thought it was a deleted fourth island or a secret area. The truth is much simpler. It’s just the set piece Rockstar built for the opening bank heist cutscene. Since the game engine needed a physical location to film the scene, they tucked it away where they thought nobody would ever find it.
Why the Setting Still Matters in 2026
Even with the hyper-realistic Liberty City we got in GTA IV, the GTA III version has a special place in gaming history. It was the first time we felt like we were "in" a movie. The fog, the constant rain, and the "dark and moody" lighting weren't just aesthetic choices—they helped the PlayStation 2 hide its technical limitations.
It created an atmosphere of pure, unadulterated cynicism.
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If you're planning on revisiting Liberty City through the Definitive Edition or the original PC port, pay attention to the transition between districts. You can literally see the socio-economic shift as you drive from the fish factory in Portland to the neon-lit casinos of Staunton. That’s world-building that most modern games still struggle to get right.
Actionable Tips for Exploring Liberty City:
- Find the Hidden Packages: There are 100 scattered across the three islands. Every 10 you collect spawns a new weapon at your safehouse.
- Listen to the Radio: K-Jah and Chatterbox FM aren't just background noise; they provide the "lore" of the city and explain why it’s such a mess.
- Learn to Fly the Dodo: It’s frustrating, but it’s the only way to see the "Ghost Town" and get a bird's-eye view of how the map is actually stitched together.
- Check the Weather: The city's vibe changes drastically at night during a storm—that's when the atmosphere really shines.
Knowing where GTA 3 takes place is about more than just geography; it’s about understanding the birth of the modern open-world genre. It’s a time capsule of early 2000s grit.