New game release ! Go check it out

The Timelines of the GTA Games Explained

Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto franchise has spanned many years throughout a number of profitable releases, however the collection’ timeline is cut up into two halves.

A legendary pillar of the online game trade for over twenty years, Grand Theft Auto has captivated followers since its debut. Followers have been eagerly anticipating official information relating to the collection’ upcoming sixth numbered entry, however the subsequent sport does not appear to be arriving any time quickly. With the wealthy library of Grand Theft Auto titles from over time, nonetheless, followers of the collection are nonetheless unpacking a few of the most influential video games of their respective generations.


Most would affiliate the title Grand Theft Auto with the third-person perspective seen in right now’s crime simulator expertise, however the GTA collection truly started with extra of an arcade-style isometric presentation. A well-recognized sight to followers of Chinatown Wars, the top-down view characterised the primary few entries of the collection and was often known as the 2D Timeline, however the continuities fashionable gamers are aware of did not start till Grand Theft Auto 3.

RELATED: 4 Issues That GTA 4 Does Higher Than GTA 5


GTA’s 3D Universe Timeline

Followers are fond of constructing connections between the brand new and older titles, however the releases previous to Grand Theft Auto 4 occurred in a very separate 3D universe. Evident by way of the variations within the collection’ depictions of Liberty Metropolis, the 3D period centered on a unique world.

  • Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis Tales (1984) – Paradoxically launched final, the story of Vic Vance predates the remainder of the collection.
  • Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis (1986) – Launched because the follow-up to the third mainline entry, the adventures of Tommy Vercetti had been set within the 80s.
  • Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (1992) – The basic story of CJ departed from the East Coast and offered some closure for characters from Vice Metropolis.
  • Grand Theft Auto: Liberty Metropolis Tales (1998) – One other prequel for the PSP, the story of Toni Cipriani is an underrated gem that continued the arc of Salvatore Leone.
  • Grand Theft Auto 3 (2001) – The one title of its period to happen within the 12 months it was launched, the journey of silent protagonist Claude was a extremely influential expertise that laid the groundwork for all of the prequels that adopted.

GTA’s HD Universe Timeline

grand theft auto online liberty city rumor

Grand Theft Auto 4 kicked off the HD universe timeline, particularly when Niko Bellic arrived in a Liberty Metropolis far totally different from the streets Claude beforehand walked. Essentially the most cinematic expertise the collection had ever seen, Rockstar adopted it up with an idea simply as faraway from the chronology of the earlier universe.

  • Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty Metropolis (2008) – The tales of Johnny Klebitz and Luis Lopez in The Misplaced and the Damned and The Ballad of Homosexual Tony respectively, the HD universe’s releases are notable for all going down inside a concurrent timeline. With factors the place all three protagonists meet and are available into battle, all of those titles in Liberty Metropolis are set in the identical interval of autumn of 2008.
  • Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009) – One of many few returns to the isometric perspective, the story of Huang Lee makes Chinatown Wars an underrated gem going down within the separate world of the Triads.
  • Grand Theft Auto 5 (2013) – Whereas this technology might have additionally featured three protagonists, Franklin, Michael, and Trevor all made their mark throughout the identical sport. Conveying an overarching plot that linked its solid, this sport was a extremely fashionable tackle the heist style with a decent narrative that solely dips into the 12 months 2004 as soon as throughout its prologue.
  • Grand Theft Auto On-line (2013-Current) – Nonetheless up to date a decade later, the web element of Grand Theft Auto 5 has seemingly saved up with the timeline of actuality over the course of its plethora of updates.

With Grand Theft Auto 6 apparently set in fashionable instances as soon as once more, there’s no telling the place the timeline of the collection might go from right here.

MORE: The Most Helpful Cheats in GTA 5 Defined

Similar Articles

More Posts