Grand Theft Auto

Grand Theft Auto is a series of open-world action-adventure video games created by David Jones and Mike Dailly, and developed by Rockstar Games.

Driving

Racing

Action

Special edition

Add-on

64

Games

1997–now

Years

34

Platforms

$24.00

Ø CIB

+36.1%

24M change

About

The series focuses on open-world gameplay where players can complete missions to progress an overall story, as well as engage in various side activities. Most of the gameplay revolves around driving and shooting, with occasional role-playing and stealth elements. It is highly acclaimed and one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time.

Created by DMA Design (now Rockstar North) and published by BMG Interactive, the franchise debuted with Grand Theft Auto (1997), which received international distribution including the Grand Theft Auto [European Edition] [Platinum] release. Early entries, including Grand Theft Auto 2, utilized a top-down perspective before the series transitioned to a third-person three-dimensional format. This shift redefined the industry's approach to virtual environments and narrative design.

As the franchise expanded, Rockstar Games introduced handheld spin-offs and episodic expansions to enrich its fictional settings. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories provided deeper backstories to established locales, while Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned and the compilation Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City offered interconnected narratives from different character perspectives.

The series is renowned for its satirical depiction of American culture, media, and politics. This adult-oriented humor, combined with depictions of organized crime, has frequently made the franchise a focal point of public debate regarding video game violence and censorship, while cementing its influence on modern entertainment.