Rockstar Games is weirdly quiet lately. We’re all sitting around waiting for GTA VI to drop in 2025, staring at trailers and counting frames of digital sunshine. But if you actually look at the list of grand theft auto games that exist right now, you realize something kind of funny: the series isn't just about the big numbers on the box. It’s a messy, sprawling history of handheld experiments, weird top-down arcade throwbacks, and massive cultural shifts that redefined what "open world" even means.
Most people can name the big ones. They know the neon-soaked streets of Vice City or the sprawling hills of Los Santos. But have you actually played London 1969? Probably not. It’s technically an expansion, but it counts in the grander timeline. The series didn't start with 3D graphics and Hollywood voice acting. It started with a tiny car, a top-down camera, and a lot of pixelated burp sounds.
The Top-Down Era: Where it All Began
Before the world went 3D, we had the classics. The original Grand Theft Auto (1997) was almost canceled. It was originally a game called Race'n'Chase, but the developers realized the cops were way more fun when they were glitchy and aggressive. This gave birth to the bird's-eye view chaos we saw on the PC and PlayStation 1. Then came the mission packs: GTA: London 1969 and London 1961. These are the only times the series has ever left the United States. It's a bit of a trivia nugget that most casual fans completely overlook.
Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999) changed the vibe. It was set in "Anywhere, USA" and felt weirdly futuristic, almost cyberpunk. It introduced the respect system. You work for the Zaibatsu, the Yakuza, or the Loonies, and your standing with one group pisses off the others. It was primitive, sure, but the DNA of the modern franchise was already there. You could save your game by visiting a church that shouted "Hallelujah!" every time you stepped inside.
The 3D Universe and the "Holy Trinity"
In 2001, everything changed. Grand Theft Auto III wasn't just a game; it was a shift in how the entire industry thought about freedom. Suddenly, Liberty City was a living place. You weren't just looking at icons; you were looking at skyscrapers.
Then came Vice City in 2002. It was pure 80s nostalgia. Ray Liotta voiced Tommy Vercetti, and the soundtrack—full of Hall & Oates and Michael Jackson—became as famous as the gameplay. It proved that GTA could be a period piece, not just a modern crime sim.
By 2004, we got Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. This game was massive. Like, ridiculously big for the PlayStation 2. Three cities—Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas—connected by countryside and deserts. You had to eat to stay healthy. You could get fat. You could go to the gym and get ripped. It was basically a life simulator where you also happened to steal fighter jets. CJ’s story felt personal in a way the previous games didn't.
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Don't Forget the Handhelds
While the main consoles were getting the glory, the "Stories" games were doing heavy lifting. GTA: Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories started on the PSP. They weren't just ports. They were full-blown prequels with new protagonists and mechanics. Vice City Stories actually introduced a whole business empire system that felt way ahead of its time for a portable device.
And then there’s Grand Theft Auto Advance. It's... fine. It tried to bring the 3D world back to a 2D top-down perspective on the Game Boy Advance. It’s a bit of a clunky experience today, but for the completionist looking at a list of grand theft auto games, it’s a vital piece of history.
The HD Era: Realism and Satire
When Grand Theft Auto IV arrived in 2008, people were divided. It was dark. It was gritty. Niko Bellic wasn't a wisecracking gangster; he was a cynical war veteran looking for a "fresh start" that didn't exist. The physics engine (RAGE) made cars feel heavy and crashes feel visceral. Liberty City felt cramped and dirty, which was exactly the point. It also gave us two massive expansions: The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony. These weren't just DLC; they were full games that intertwined with Niko’s story.
Then came the behemoth. Grand Theft Auto V (2013). What is there even left to say? It’s the second best-selling video game of all time. It introduced three protagonists—Michael, Franklin, and Trevor—and let you swap between them on the fly. It perfected the "heist" mechanic. But more importantly, it birthed GTA Online.
Honestly, GTA Online has become its own entity. It’s been updated for over a decade. It’s the reason we haven't seen a "GTA 6" until now. Why build a new world when people are still spending billions in the old one? It transformed the franchise from a single-player narrative series into a persistent digital playground.
The Full List of Grand Theft Auto Games
To keep it simple, here is how the primary releases break down across the three distinct "universes" Rockstar has created.
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The 2D Universe
- Grand Theft Auto (1997)
- Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 (1999)
- Grand Theft Auto: London 1961 (1999)
- Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999)
The 3D Universe
- 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)
The HD Universe
- Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)
- Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned (2009)
- Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009)
- Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony (2009)
- Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
- Grand Theft Auto Online (2013)
- Grand Theft Auto VI (Coming 2025)
Wait, what about Chinatown Wars? That game is a masterpiece that nobody played because it launched on the Nintendo DS. It brought back the top-down camera but added touch-screen drug dealing and car hotwiring. It’s genuinely one of the highest-rated games in the series and deserves more love than it gets.
Misconceptions and the "Missing" Games
A lot of people think GTA: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is a new entry. It’s not. It’s a remaster of 3, Vice City, and San Andreas. And a controversial one at that. When it launched, it was riddled with bugs—invisible bridges, rain that looked like falling milk, and character models that looked like melting wax. It’s better now, but it serves as a reminder that the original versions often had a soul that "modernizing" can sometimes kill.
There are also the rumors of "GTA: Tokyo" or "GTA: Bogota." These were real projects that Rockstar considered in the early 2000s. They even trademarked the names. But they eventually decided that the series works best as a parody of American culture. The satire is the secret sauce. Without the poke at American consumerism, it’s just another crime game.
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What to Do Next
If you're looking to dive back into the series before the next big release, don't just stick to the HD era.
First, track down a copy of Chinatown Wars on mobile or an old DS. It’s the most unique mechanical experience in the whole list of grand theft auto games. The "drug wars" economy is addictive and hasn't really been replicated since.
Second, if you’re playing the Definitive Edition, make sure to toggle the "Classic Lighting" mode. It brings back some of the atmospheric fog and color grading that made the original PS2 games feel so cinematic.
Third, pay attention to the radio stations. Rockstar spends millions on licensing for a reason. The music tells you more about the world than the cutscenes do. In GTA IV, listen to the talk radio. It’s a time capsule of 2008 anxieties that still feels weirdly relevant today.
Finally, keep an eye on the official Rockstar Newswire. With 2026 approaching, the marketing cycle for the next chapter is going to get intense. Expect the "list" to grow officially very soon, and with it, a whole new era of open-world expectations. It's been a long wait since 2013, but looking back at where we started—from 2D pixels to 4K photorealism—it's clear that the wait is usually worth it.