Rockstar Games has kept the GTA community on the edge of their seats as the developer played along with the recent December 27 theories. After ending 2024 without any update about the widely anticipated GTA 6, the GTA community is still recovering from the GTA drought of last year.
If you are one of the ever hopefuls who looked forward to what would happen on December 27, playing previous GTA games could ease things up a bit. Playing these titles from start to finish will give you that GTA fix you've longed for.
If you are unsure where to start, we've got you covered. Here are all the mainline GTA games ranked from worst to best.
Grand Theft Auto
Ah, yes, 1997 Grand Theft Auto. The one that started it all. Featuring a top-down perspective, Grand Theft Auto dared to explore the open-world genre, but its primitive mechanics are nothing compared to its successors.
Grand Theft Auto walked so the other GTA games could run. It felt like more of a proof of concept than a complete game, but it did its job well, launching the multi-billion dollar franchise. If you want to experience the beginning, play this 1997 version of Grand Theft Auto.
Grand Theft Auto 2
GTA 2 improved upon its predecessor, but it remained a top-down game. While gaming technology in its era was still limited, Grand Theft Auto 2 added more mechanics, such as gang warfare, and better missions than the original.
It pioneered the gang mechanic, which changed the way many NPCs reacted to the player and added a core foundation to many GTA games.
Grand Theft Auto 2 also struggled from the lack of good storytelling, which the subsequent games have improved.
Grand Theft Auto 3
If Grand Theft Auto launched the franchise, Grand Theft Auto 3 boosted it more than ever. It introduced the 3D graphics lacking in the first two games and laid the groundwork for many modern open-world titles.
Grand Theft Auto 3 is a massive leap forward from the last two games, and it is perfect in its own right. However, compared to the newer titles, it feels dated and barebones.
Rockstar would still take a couple more games to create the GTA formula for the more recent titles.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
While it had a much smaller map than GTA III, GTA: Vice City had interesting characters and fantastic music. GTA: Vice City slowly became a pop culture hit, and its protagonist, Tommy Vercetti, became one of the most favorite GTA protagonists ever.
Vice City allowed you to manage different properties and own cool vehicles. Its Miami aesthetic truly captured what it feels like to be in a city run by crimelords and gang members.
GTA Vice City was a fan favorite, but the newer games offered much more.
Grand Theft Auto IV
GTA: Vice City is colorful and ridiculously entertaining, but Rockstar Games took a different approach to GTA IV. Set in Liberty City, GTA IV has a darker tone and a more complex protagonist, Niko Bellic. The franchise fully skyrocketed in storytelling after mastering a rich narrative in GTA: San Andreas.
The significant leap in storytelling did not come for free, though. Many fans thought that the chaotic fun in the earlier titles was dampened in exchange for a much more gripping story.
GTA IV featured improved physics that many loved. After all, it's not GTA if you can't flip a car up using a glitch.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
GTA: San Andreas became a meme and a pop culture staple, and, thanks to enthusiasts, its protagonist was modded into many different games. CJ is probably the most memed protagonist, thanks to his unofficial presence in many games, but GTA: San Andreas offered so much more, which made the franchise more popular to many fans.
GTA: San Andreas had a fantastic map and added RPG elements many loved. The game allowed you to buff CJ up in many aspects while having a compelling narrative centered around betrayal, family, and survival.
The game elevated the chaotic fun that the franchise always had while encouraging you to explore more and involve yourself in many different factions or gangs.
Grand Theft Auto V
For over a decade, Grand Theft Auto V evolved across three different console generations. It evolved more than a Pokemon. It pioneered the ever-popular GTA Online while maintaining the visual fidelity missing in the former games.
It had multiple protagonists whose stories tie into the overall storytelling of GTA V. Its impact on the franchise is so huge that players who started the game as kids are now tax-paying adults who are waiting for GTA 6.
GTA V is the definitive edition of the franchise. While Rockstar Games' decision to release it across three different generations slowly became a meme in the community, GTA V showcased how the franchise can evolve and set the standard for upcoming titles.
Here are all the mainline GTA games ranked from worst to best. Replaying all these games may add more time to your gaming backlog, but it is worth the effort to learn more about the franchise you love.
If you feel that GTA 6 is still a long way to go, try every game on this list to fuel your excitement for GTA. To stay updated with the latest gaming news and stories, follow Gfinity Esports.