How to Play the Grand Theft Auto Games in Order

To play the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) series in order, you can choose between two main approaches: release order or chronological story order. Both methods offer unique experiences, depending on whether you want to appreciate the evolution of the games or follow the in-game timeline.

Playing GTA Games in Release Order

Playing the GTA games in the order they were released lets you experience the franchise’s development over time, from graphics and gameplay improvements to storytelling. The mainline games in release order are:

- Grand Theft Auto III (2001)  

- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002)  

- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)  

- Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)  

- Grand Theft Auto V (2013)  

You can also include notable expansions and spin-offs that add to the story, such as Liberty City Stories, Vice City Stories, The Lost and Damned, and The Ballad of Gay Tony for GTA IV, as well as Chinatown Wars. This order is recommended for newcomers who want to see how Rockstar Games pushed each console’s capabilities and storytelling techniques over time.

Playing GTA Games in Chronological Story Order

If you prefer to follow the narrative timeline within the GTA universe, here is a commonly accepted chronological order, noting that Rockstar separates the series into different timelines (2D, 3D, and HD) that are not canonically connected:

- Grand Theft Auto: London 1961 (1961)  

- Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 (1969)  

- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (1984)  

- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (1986)  

- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (1992)  

- Grand Theft Auto (1997)  

- Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (1998)  

- Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999)  

- Grand Theft Auto Advance (2000)  

- Grand Theft Auto III (2001)  

- Grand Theft Auto IV and its expansions (2008-2009)  

- Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009)  

- Grand Theft Auto V (2013)  

- Grand Theft Auto VI (expected 2026)

This order allows you to experience the story progression and setting changes across the decades, from the 1960s London expansions through the 1980s Miami-inspired Vice City, the early 90s San Andreas gang wars, and into the modern-day Liberty City and Los Santos.

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