Grand Theft Auto has spent more than two decades cementing itself as one of gaming's most influential franchises. What began as a controversial top-down heist simulator on PlayStation 1 has evolved into a cultural juggernaut, with GTA 5 standing as one of the best-selling games ever made. But getting into the series for the first time can feel overwhelming, given that Rockstar has released sixteen games across multiple platforms and timelines since 1997.
The path forward isn't straightforward. Rockstar has officially divided the franchise into three distinct universes with separate storylines and characters: the 2D timeline, the 3D timeline, and the HD timeline. While events in these worlds may echo each other, they exist independently of one another.
For newcomers wondering where to start, GTA 5 remains the logical entry point. It's a masterpiece in its own right, available on virtually every platform, and connects to GTA Online for those interested in multiplayer crime. With GTA 6 launching in November 2026, waiting isn't advisable for anyone serious about experiencing one of gaming's biggest releases.
The 2D Timeline
The earliest games in the franchise operate in their own world. Grand Theft Auto: London 1961 kicks off this era as a prequel, available only on PC, where players work their way up London's crime families under mobster Harold Cartwright. Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 follows next, introducing the Crisp Twins and pitting players against various criminal syndicates across the British capital.
The original Grand Theft Auto lands third chronologically but second in release order, set in 1997 and letting players rampage through Liberty City, San Andreas, and Vice City while working for notorious criminals like Robert Seragliano and El Burro. Grand Theft Auto 2 concludes this timeline in a nigh-futuristic Anywhere City, following a criminal named Claude Speed through various syndicates. The game's timeline placement is deliberately ambiguous, with in-game references suggesting it occurs in both 1999 and 2013.
The 3D Timeline
The 3D era opens with Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories on PSP, a 1984 prequel where discharged soldier Victor Vance builds a crime family with his brother Lance. This sets up Grand Theft Auto: Vice City in 1986, where Tommy Verceti, a gangster from Liberty City, arrives to salvage a botched drug deal and eventually seizes control of the city's underworld.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas shifts to 1992 Los Santos, following CJ Johnson as he rejoins the Grove Street Families after his mother's murder and battles crooked cops, gangs, and his own crew's betrayals across three cities. Liberty City Stories acts as a direct prequel to the next mainline game, following Toni Cipriani in 1998 as he climbs Salvatore Leone's mafia hierarchy and sets the stage for GTA 3.
Grand Theft Auto Advance, released on Gameboy Advance and set in 2000, tells the story of Mike seeking vengeance for his partner's murder while working with future GTA 3 characters. Grand Theft Auto 3 itself lands in 2001, introducing a new protagonist named Claude who's betrayed by his girlfriend Catalina, escapes prison, and rises through Liberty City's criminal underworld while plotting his revenge.
The HD Timeline
The modern HD era begins with Grand Theft Auto 4 in 2008, following Eastern European immigrant Niko Bellic as he searches for fortune in America and revenge against a military traitor. His arrival triggers a chain of events involving the Russian mafia, various crime families, and a relentless climb through Liberty City's underworld.
The Lost and the Damned, an expansion set during GTA 4's events, follows motorcycle gang Vice President Johnny Klebitz as his club descends into gang warfare after its president returns and breaks a carefully negotiated truce. A second expansion, The Ballad of Gay Tony, operates in the same timeframe but follows a nightclub promoter navigating different criminal factions.
Grand Theft Auto 5, released in 2013, marks the franchise's leap forward with three protagonists: Michael, a retired bank robber; Trevor, a violent outlaw; and Franklin, a hustler drawn into their dangerous world. The game's massive success spawned Grand Theft Auto Online, which continues to evolve and remains a major draw for players worldwide.
Starting with GTA 5 positions new players with the franchise's most polished experience and highest production values. Those seeking historical context can work backward through the timelines, but the 2013 release remains the ideal entry point for understanding why Rockstar's crime saga has dominated the gaming landscape for over two decades.
Author Emily Chen: "With GTA 6 arriving next year, now's the time to experience why this franchise became untouchable, not a reason to wait on the sidelines."
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