All GTA games to play in chronological order before GTA 6 releases

As Grand Theft Auto fans prepare to immerse themselves once again in the much-hyped GTA 6 from Rockstar Games, there are various rumours about the story and timeline of the upcoming title. Now, whether you are a newbie in the GTA franchise or a veteran, understanding the whole timeline in Rockstar's crime-laden universe can be tricky. Spanning through almost 50 in-game years, the GTA storyline is much longer than you can imagine!

So, in this article, we have put together a comprehensive guide to help you understand the entire GTA timeline in chronological order. Check out the following sections for all the details!

The GTA timeline: Explained!

Now, understanding the Grand Theft Auto timeline can be pretty confusing, mainly because of the fact that it is one of the oldest game franchises in the market. Rockstar started the GTA franchise with its Grand Theft Auto title, which was released back in 1997.

However, with the following instalments and expansions of the GTA games, the company went through various time periods, ranging from the early 1960s to the mid-2010s.

To help you understand the GTA timeline in chronological order, we have listed every Grand Theft Auto title in ascending order according to their in-game timeline. So, if you find GTA: San Andreas listed before Grand Theft Auto 3, which was released earlier than the former, know that the latter's in-game events take place after the events in GTA: San Andreas.

With this important thing in mind, let's dive into the GTA timeline with one Grand Theft Auto title at a time, shall we?

1. Grand Theft Auto: London 1961

Two years after the release of the first Grand Theft Auto game, Rockstar released the Grand Theft Auto: London 1961 DLC (Downloadable Content) in 1999 as the second expansion of the initial title. However, this expansion is set in an earlier timeline compared to the timeline in the primary Grand Theft Auto title.

Set in 1961 London, as mentioned in the title, this expansion transports players to the said timeline and location. The London 1961 expansion for the original Grand Theft Auto title follows the story of an unnamed criminal, who rises to power by carrying out illegal jobs for a character named Harold Cartwright.

2. Grand Theft Auto: London 1969

Released as the first expansion of the original Grand Theft Auto title, the Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 takes place, well, in 1969 London, putting players amid Britain's crime syndicates. The London 1969 expansion for Grand Theft Auto was released only a month after the London 1961 expansion and also introduced a few characters that were utilized in the latter storyline.

For instance, the Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 expansion featured Harold Cartwright's gang in the storyline. The said character then appeared in the following Grand Theft Auto expansion, i.e., London 1961.

3. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

Now, according to the in-game timeline, if we go chronologically, the next GTA title on this list would be Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. Set in Vice City in the year 1984, GTA: Vice City Stories acts as a prequel to the legendary Grand Theft Auto: Vice City title, which was actually released earlier than this one.

In this one, however, players take the role of Victor Vance, a falsely dishonoured US Army personnel, who goes on to build a crime family with the help of his brother, Lance in the Miami-like city of Vice City. The game ends right before the starting events of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, which takes place two in-game years later.

4. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Arguably, one of the most popular games in the GTA franchise, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is set in the same fictional city as its prequel. However, this one starts in the year 1986, which is two in-game years after the events of GTA: Vice City Stories.

GTA: Vice City follows Tommy Vercetti, a gangster from Liberty City who is given a chance to redeem himself from a botched-up drug deal in Vice City. The game introduced various characters like Lance Vance, who were utilized in the following GTA: Vice Stories title, which was released in 2006.

5. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Filled with gangsta rap and hip-hop culture, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is one of the showstoppers in the GTA franchise. Released back in 2004 as the fifth mainline story after GTA: Vice City, San Andreas is set in the year 1992, and follows the story of a man named Carl "CJ" Johnson and the different families in Grove Street.

Showcasing the crime-ridden world of gang wars, corrupted lawmen, and other societal issues in the early 90s, GTA: San Andreas went on to become one of the most iconic GTA games in the franchise. It also features the second-largest in-game maps in the GTA universe, the largest one being the GTA V map.

6. Grand Theft Auto

Now, when Rockstar released its first mainline story in the GTA universe, i.e., the first Grand Theft Auto title, it was set in the present timeline at the time of its release. So, as the game was released in 1997, the Grand Theft Auto storyline is set in the same year, which, according to the in-game timeline, falls right after the GTA: San Andreas timeline.

In this game, players take control of a nameless protagonist who goes on to build his criminal reputation in the fictional cities that were later featured fully in the GTA universe - Liberty City, San Andreas, and Vice City. However, all of these locations look quite small and inferior due to the technology limitations during the game's development.

7. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

The Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, released in 2005, is actually set in the year 1998. This chronologically puts the game right after the original Grand Theft Auto title, which was set in the year of its actual release.

GTA: Liberty City Stories tells the tale of a man named Antonio Cipriani, a hired gun for the Leone crime family who rejoins his employer after a cooldown period. This game also acts as a prequel to the Grand Theft Auto 3 title, which was released in 2001.

8. Grand Theft Auto 2

Now, before talking about the Grand Theft 2 title, it is worth mentioning that the timeline of this one is a bit confusing. Released in 1999, GTA 2 was one of the mainline titles in the GTA franchise, though it was discontinued by Rockstar later. It is the only GTA title that does not mention any specific in-game timeline, and as per fan reports, it could be set either in 1999 or 2013.

The story of GTA 2 is set in a neo-futuristic city named Anywhere City and follows Claude Speed, a criminal in the city looking to make a name for himself by working with different crime syndicates. Grand Theft Auto 2 was also the last game in the GTA 2D timeline.

9. Grand Theft Auto Advance

Next in the GTA timeline comes Grand Theft Auto Advance, which is set in the year 2000, although the game was actually released in the market in 2004. It serves as a prequel to Grand Theft Auto 3 and also features a few characters from the 2001 title.

As for the story, Grand Theft Auto Advance follows Mike's life as he teams up with various GTA 3 characters to take revenge for the murder of his friend Vinnie. The game is set in Liberty City, of course, and features characters from GTA 3 such as Asuka Kasen and 8-Ball.

10. Grand Theft Auto 3

Released back in 2001, Grand Theft Auto 3 was the first GTA title in the 3D timeline and came in as a significant upgrade over its predecessors. It is set in Liberty City and the in-game year is 2001, the same as the game's release year. The game is also one of the mainline titles in the GTA franchise.

Grand Theft Auto 3 introduced a silent-killer-like protagonist named Claude, who is looking for his ex-girlfriend Catalina for revenge. Apart from shifting to 3D graphics, GTA 3 also featured an ensemble cast of characters and storylines that players absolutely loved.

11. Grand Theft Auto 4

Released in late 2008, Grand Theft 4 is the first GTA title in the GTA HD timeline, featuring more advanced 3D graphics compared to its predecessors. As for the timeline, the game is set in the year 2008, which is the same as its release year.

Coming to the storyline, GTA 4 introduced another loved protagonist named Niko Bellic, an ex-soldier from Eastern Europe, who comes to Liberty City to live the American dream with his cousin, Roman Bellic. Compared to the 2001 Liberty City in GTA 3, the 2008 version in GTA 4 looks quite different, modern, and coming of age.

In the later expansions of GTA 4 - The Lost and The Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, players are able to explore other characters in the GTA universe such as Johnny Klebitz and Luis Lopez. However, all the events of GTA 4 and its expansions are set in the same timeline. 

12. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Set one year after the events of GTA 4, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is also set in the fictional Liberty City. It is the second iteration in the GTA HD timeline and follows a simple story set in the year 2009, which is the same year as the game's release.

The GTA: Chinatown Wars plot follows Huang Lee, the son of a murdered Triad leader. In the game, Lee is given the responsibility of delivering an ancient sword to his uncle in Liberty City. What follows is a gripping adventure that takes Lee into the depths of the crime-laden city.

13. Grand Theft Auto Online

Released in 2013, Grand Theft Auto Online is a unique platform in the GTA franchise that follows the real-world timeline with regular updates for players. However, when it comes to the in-game timeline for GTA Online, it essentially starts before the events of the GTA 5 main campaign.

It starts with a user-created character who goes to Los Santos, a city in San Andreas, looking to go big. Over the years, Rockstar has constantly updated the GTA Online storylines, providing players with a real-time platform to enjoy the world of Grand Theft Auto.

14. Grand Theft Auto 5

Now, Grand Theft Auto 5 was released back in 2013 and is also set in the same year. It is the last mainline title in the GTA franchise that Rockstar released, and since then, players have been eagerly waiting for the next iteration of Grand Theft Auto, i.e., GTA 6.

As for the story of GTA 5, it follows the lives of three main protagonists - Michael Santa Fe, Franklin Clinton, and Trevor Philips. During the main campaign, which takes place in 2013, the lives of all three characters get entangled with each other. And as we are talking about Grand Theft Auto here, you know there is crime, betrayal, and killings in this gripping title.

So, there you go! That concludes our chronological list of all the Grand Theft Auto games according to their in-game timelines.

Now, in case you want to play go through all the GTA titles in chronological order according to their release dates, check out the following section.

List of GTA games according to their release date

Below, we have listed all the Grand Theft Auto titles in chronological order according to their release year:

When is GTA 6 releasing?

There has been a lot of hype regarding the next Grand Theft Auto iteration - GTA 6. Although Rockstar had confirmed that the title is currently in the works, the company did not provide a specific timeline for its release.

Recently, Rockstar Games celebrated its 25th anniversary, and as a gift to its massive player base, it confirmed to release of the official trailer of GTA 6 in December this year. So, we can expect the company to announce the actual release date of its upcoming and much-hyped GTA title really soon.

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