With Grand Theft Auto 6 now looming large on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to play through all of the Grand Theft Auto games in order. However, whether you’re new to the franchise and looking to get yourself up to speed or a long-time fan in need of a refresher, trying to figure out the best order to do so may seem like a daunting task.
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Grand Theft Auto: Where Do All The GTA Games Take Place?
All but a handful of Grand Theft Auto games have taken place in one of three main settings, leading many to wonder where all the GTA games take place.
Those hoping to experience every GTA game in order will first need to decide whether they want to play through the franchise in release or chronological order. Some of the games don’t hold up particularly well either, and others can be hard to come by, so players may decide to skip over certain installments, regardless of which of the two orders they decide on.
How to Play All GTA Games in Release Order
Playing through all of the Grand Theft Auto games in release order is fairly simple, at least when sticking to the six mainline installments. After finishing Grand Theft Auto, players should move on to the second and third numbered entries, followed by Vice City and San Andreas. After that, the franchise reverts back to numbers, meaning GTA 4 and GTA 5 come next. However, if players would rather play through every GTA game in release order, things do get a bit more complicated.
Grand Theft Auto (November 1997)
Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 (April 1999)
Grand Theft Auto: London 1961 (July 1999)
Grand Theft Auto 2 (October 1999)
Grand Theft Auto III (October 2001)
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (October 2002)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (October 2004)
Grand Theft Auto Advance (October 2004)
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (October 2005)
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (October 2006)
Grand Theft Auto IV (April 2008)
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (March 2009)
Grand Theft Auto V (September 2013)
Grand Theft Auto VI (May 2026)
How to Play All GTA Games in Chronological Order
Playing through all of the Grand Theft Auto games in chronological order isn’t too complicated either, as the year that each game takes place is usually made pretty clear. The only real exception here is GTA 2, which never fully commits to one particular time period. Most seem to be in agreement that its story takes place in either 1999 or 2013, so it can slot in after Liberty City Stories or alongside GTA 5, depending on which side of the fence you fall on.
Grand Theft Auto: London 1961 (London, 1961)
Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 (London, 1969)
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (Vice City, 1984)
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (Vice City, 1986)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (San Andreas, 1992)
Grand Theft Auto (Liberty City, Vice City, and San Andreas, 1997)
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (Liberty City, 1998)
Grand Theft Auto 2 (Anywhere City, 1999 or 2013)
Grand Theft Auto Advance (Liberty City, 2000)
Grand Theft Auto III (Liberty City, 2001)
Grand Theft Auto IV (Liberty City, 2008)
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (Liberty City, 2009)
Grand Theft Auto V (San Andreas, 2013)
Grand Theft Auto VI (Vice City, 2026)
The Best Order to Play the Grand Theft Auto Games
Just as there is with the Machete Order for Star Wars, there’s an argument to be made for skipping a few of the GTA games when playing through the series in order. Due to how different they are from the series’ current formula, players may not want to bother with the first two installments, nor the two London expansions that were sandwiched between them. The handheld GTA games for Nintendo consoles haven’t aged particularly gracefully, and the PlayStation Portable games are hard to come by, although the latter are still worth playing if you can somehow get your hands on them.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PC / PS4 / PS4 / Switch / Xbox One / Xbox Series)
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (PS2 / PSP)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PC / PS4 / PS4 / Switch / Xbox One / Xbox Series)
Grand Theft Auto III (PC / PS4 / PS4 / Switch / Xbox One / Xbox Series)
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (Mobile / PS2 / PSP)
Grand Theft Auto IV (PC / PS3 / Xbox 360)
Grand Theft Auto V (PC / PS3 / PS4 / PS5 / Xbox 360 / Xbox One / Xbox Series)
Grand Theft Auto VI (PS5 / Xbox Series)
Despite some people preferring the art style of the originals, we’re recommending the 2021 remasters of the 3D trilogy due to their availability on modern platforms and the quality of life updates that they offer. We’re also placing the two Stories games after their respective mainline installments, as although they are set a little earlier chronologically, the insights that they provide into the lives and backgrounds of their protagonists and supporting casts are a lot more interesting when you already know where and how they end up.
Grand Theft Auto 6
Released
May 26, 2026
Engine
Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE)
Xbox Series X|S Release Date
May 26, 2026
