All GTA games ranked in order of release date

Modified Jul 24, 2020 06:57 GMT

The GTA franchise has been around for 21 years and has given us so many video games to enjoy. A journey that started way back in 1998 now has millions of fans worldwide, and even people who have never been active gamers know what GTA is.

Let us now take you down memory lane as we rank all GTA games in order of their release dates.

(Note: All release dates are based on statistics from Gaming Scan)

All GTA games ranked in order of release date

#1 Grand Theft Auto

Release Date: 21st October 1998

Created by Rockstar Games, which was then known as DMA Designs, this series is what started it all. With a top-down graphic style and breezy gameplay, the original GTA is the epitome of simplicity in the franchise.

#2 Grand Theft Auto: London 1969

Release Date: 31st March 1999

A year later, Rockstar Games made an iteration of GTA, with the story based in 1969 London.

#3 Grand Theft Auto: London 1961

Release Date: 1st June 1999

Another variant of the GTA London game, the 1961 version pretty much follows its predecessor’s legacy.

#4 Grand Theft Auto 2

Release Date: 30th September 1999

Building on the blueprint of the first few games, GTA 2 kept the feel of the game exactly the same but added new elements in the form of missions and cars, etc.

#5 Grand Theft Auto 3

Release Date: 22nd October 2001

At the turn of the century, Rockstar Games launched their 3D universe with GTA 3. With an all-new graphic style, the GTA 3 gameplay brought in a new genre into the series.

#6 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Release Date: 29th October 2002

Tommy Vercetti and his saga of revenge in the 1980s Vice City is the stuff of legends among GTA fans and rightfully so. This is the game that shot the series into fame.

#7 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Release Date: 26th October 2004

Rockstar Games was on a roll with Vice City before they released GTA San Andreas. Another cult classic for gamers of all ages, San Andreas became arguably the most popular title in the series.

#8 Grand Theft Auto: Advance

Release Date: 26th October 2004

Not a popular addition to the series, GTA Advance was lost among its more famous brothers. Nonetheless, it has been a nod to Rockstar Games’ earlier games.

#9 Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

Release Date: 24th October 2005

With Toni Cipriani as a worthy protagonist, GTA: Liberty City Stories may not have risen to the higher ranks but was still a pretty fun game to play.

#10 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

Release Date: 31st October 2006

The last game in the GTA 3D Universe, Vice City Stories was a juxtaposition of the vibes of Vice City and San Andreas.

#11 Grand Theft Auto 4

Release Date: 29th April 2008

GTA 4 got lost in terms of popularity as it was preceded and followed by better games. However, that does not mean that it wasn’t a pretty good video game to play.

#12 Grand Theft Auto 4: The Lost and the Damned

Release Date: 17th February 2009

Another adventure in Liberty City, GTA 4: The Lost and the Damned was built on the gameplay of GTA 4.

#13 Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Release Date: 17th March 2009

Chinatown Wars was a nod to the older 2D universe, with a quirky top-down graphical theme and a story that tied everything together in a neat bow.

#14 Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony

Release Date: 29th October 2009

An expansion to GTA 4, The Ballad of Gay Tony added a compelling story as well as several missions to the game.

#15 Grand Theft Auto 5

Release Date: 17th September 2013

With a stronger story following three protagonists, GTA 5 stole the hearts of every fan and is rightfully the most popular game from the franchise today.

#16 Grand Theft Auto Online

Release Date: 1st October 2013

GTA Online added so much more to GTA 5, making the player feel spoiled for choice. It also gets so many regular updates that Rockstar Games have not felt the need to release a new game since 2013.

Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh