Timeline of the Grand Theft Auto Series – release dates

The Grand Theft Auto series is well known all around the world. First released in 1997 by a company called DMA Designs, now widely known as Rockstar Games. The series was originally called ‘race n Chase’ where you played as a police officer. Before changing the idea and almost canceling the series altogether. Excluding re-releases and remasters, there have been 15 games for the series in the last 21 years. Check out the timeline of the releases below. (Remasters and rereleases are excluded from this list)

You can see the release dates, developer and publishers, the main protagonist, game location and what Universe the game is part of.

Grand Theft Auto 1

Release Date: 21st October 1997

Developer: DMA Designs

Publisher: BMG Interactive

Protagonist: Players choice

Location: Liberty City, Vice City & San Andreas

Universe: 2D Universe

Grand Theft Auto: London 1969

Release date: 29th April 1999

Developer: Rockstar Canada

Publisher: Rockstar Games

Protagonist: Players choice

Location: London

Universe: 2D Universe

Grand Theft Auto: London 1961

Release date: 1st July 1999

Developer: Rockstar Canada

Publisher: Rockstar Games

Protagonist: Players choice

Location: London

Universe: 2D Universe

Grand Theft Auto 2

Release date: 22nd October 1999

Developer: DMA Designs

Publisher: Rockstar Games

Protagonist: Claude Speed

Location: Anywhere city

Universe: 2D Universe

Grand Theft Auto: III

Release date: 22nd October 2001

Developer: DMA Design

Publisher: Rockstar Games

Protagonist: Claude

Location: Liberty City

Universe: 3D Universe

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Release date: 29th October 2002

Developer: Rockstar North

Publisher:  Rockstar Games

Protagonist: Tommy Vercetti

Location: Vice City

Universe: 3D Universe

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Release date: 26th October 2004

Developer: Rockstar North

Publisher: Rockstar Games

Protagonist: Carl Johnson

Location: San Andreas

Universe: 3D Universe

Grand Theft Auto: Advance

Release date: 26th October 2004

Developer: Digital Eclipse

Publisher: Rockstar Games

Protagonist: Mike

Location: Liberty City

Universe: 3D Universe

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

Release date: 25th October 2005

Developer: Rockstar Leeds & Rockstar North

Publisher: Rockstar Games

Protagonist: Toni Cipriani

Location: Liberty City

Universe: 3D Universe

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

Release date:  31st October 2006

Developer: Rockstar Leeds & Rockstar North

Publisher:  Rockstar Games

Protagonist: Victor Vance

Location: Vice City

Universe: 3D Universe

Grand Theft Auto IV

Release date: 29th April 2008

Developer: Rockstar North

Publisher: Rockstar Games

Protagonist: Niko Bellic

Location: Liberty City

Universe: HD Universe

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned

Release date: 17th February 2009

Developer: Rockstar North

Publisher: Rockstar Games

Protagonist: Johnny Klebitz

Location: Liberty City

Universe: HD Universe

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars