Grand Theft Auto 3 Universe Explained (And How GTA 6 Fits In)

Few areas of media, gaming related or not, have been as influential and consistently successful as Grand Theft Auto franchise – something we will all no doubt be reminded of when Grand Theft Auto 6 is launched. While the gaming industry is currently doing GTA 6s meteoric impact, this is far from the first time IP has rocked the entertainment world; it has done so many times before, in many different ways.

The first one Grand Theft Autowhich was released for Windows, MS-DOS and PlayStation 1 in 1997, is basically unrecognizable next to Niko Bellic's high definition exploits; Michael, Franklin and Trevor; and Jason and Lucia. Featuring a top-down 2D aesthetic and score-based system, these older games are decidedly arcade-like in nature, creating a branching universe within GTA cannon. A few years later, the developer did it again, leading to the three distinct generations of GTA we know today. But how exactly do these three different universes work and how does it work GTA 6 factor in the mix?

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How to Play All Grand Theft Auto Games in Order (Release + Chronological)

Playing through all the GTA games is a great way to prepare for Grand Theft Auto 6. Here's what we think is the best way to do it.

2D Grand Theft Auto Universe

GTA game in 2D universe

Grand Theft Auto
Grand Theft Auto 2

The first couple Grand Theft Auto Games were not actually developed by Rockstar, but by a studio called DMA Design. After the original game's release, Take-Two Interactive acquired both the series' publisher and, later, DMA Design itself, bringing the studio under the Rockstar Games umbrella. It is appropriate that at the earliest GTAs were released under a non-Rockstar banner, as the differences between them and future titles are striking.

Rearrange the cases in the correct US release order.

Light (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)

Grand Theft Auto 1 allows players to choose from one of eight protagonists who want to work their way up the criminal ladder. This contextualizes GTAs over-the-top gameplay, which consists of players reaching a certain score threshold at different levels. Points are earned by committing crimes such as killing cops and ramming cars.

While GTA takes place in the familiar areas of Liberty City, San Andreas and Vice City, GTA 2 throws players into the distant future and into an environment known as Anywhere City. Anywhere City has a sharp, retro-futuristic design reminiscent of Gotham City i Batman: The Animated Seriesand this, together with the vagueness of the time period, does GTA 2 uniquely standalone from the rest of the franchise.

2D GTA the universe also includes GTA: London 1961 and GTA: London 1969two expansions for GTA 1 set in the titular English town.

3D Grand Theft Auto Universe

GTA game in 3D universe

Grand Theft Auto 3
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

The last one GTA the game developed under the DMA Design label, Grand Theft Auto 3, draws players into the 3D world, giving a fresh start to the series' continuity. It takes place in Vice City, but the various factions, characters and even the layout of the Miami-inspired metropolis are radically different from their GTA 1 counterparties. Apart from the names of some places and some fictitious brands, GTA 3 is completely separate from GTA the world that came before it.

But it is linked to the 3D records that follow it. There are literal, objective parallels with recurring characters like Catalina, but also more fundamental similarities. There's the move to full 3D, of course, but also the decisive pivot to more cinematic storytelling. While the narrative often took a backseat to the top-down GTA games, it began to take center stage in the 3D universe. Also in PSP exclusive Liberty City Stories and Vice city stories, it was clear that Rockstar was developing GTA formula to be less arcade-like and more nuanced – an evolution that would only continue with the advent of the HD universe.

HD Grand Theft Auto Universe

GTA game in HD universe

Grand Theft Auto 4
Episode from Liberty City (The Lost and the Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony)
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Grand Theft Auto 5
Grand Theft Auto 6

The present continuity of GTA is called the HD universe, which started with the 2008s Grand Theft Auto 4. GTA 4 introduced players to a very different Liberty Cityone that is more dreary, dreary and detailed than its 3D universe counterpart. This is reflected in the game's story, which is much more complex and mature than those that came before. The Episode from Liberty City expansion and Chinatown Warswhich further concretizes this interpretation of the city, also adopts this shift in tone.

GTA 5 is relatively light-hearted, but still quite mature and dark at times. Also, it makes Los Santos what GTA 4 made Liberty City: revitalizing and redesigning it for a new generation. While there are some easter eggs that refer to San Andreas3D Universe game that also features Los Santos, it's clear that this is a new incarnation of the setting, not meaningfully connected to what came before.

That is likely what we will see when GTA 6 launched, but for Vice City. As part of the HD universe, GTA 6 should not be expected to present a familiar version of the venue, as it is less of a return and more of a reinvention. Likewise, it probably won't connect to GTA 4 or GTA 5 in some major way, even if it takes place in the same timeline, so crossover characters and other references aren't out of the question.