GTA Series History — Every Game Ranked

Los Santos Guide • Updated 2026

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GTA Series History

Every mainline game ranked

The Grand Theft Auto series has defined open-world gaming for over two decades. From its top-down origins to the photorealistic worlds of today, here's every mainline entry ranked by sales, critical reception, and cultural impact.

Mainline Games

Game	Year	Sales	Metacritic	Significance
GTA III	2001	17.5M	97	Revolutionized open-world gaming
GTA: Vice City	2002	17.5M	95	Perfect soundtrack, iconic atmosphere
GTA: San Andreas	2004	27.5M	95	Massive scope, RPG elements
GTA IV	2008	25M	98	Dark narrative, Euphoria physics
GTA V	2013	190M	97	Best-selling, GTA Online phenomenon
GTA VI	2025/26	TBD	TBD	Return to Vice City

Notable Spin-offs

GTA: Liberty City Stories (2005) — PSP launch title, solid portable GTA
GTA: Vice City Stories (2006) — Underrated prequel with empire building
GTA: Chinatown Wars (2009) — Innovative top-down entry for Nintendo DS
GTA: The Trilogy — Definitive Edition (2021) — Controversial remaster, later patched

GTA V Sales Milestones

2013 — $1 billion in 3 days (fastest entertainment launch in history)
2017 — 70 million copies sold
2024 — 190 million copies sold
GTA V is the second best-selling video game of all time behind Minecraft

Final Thoughts

The GTA series has consistently pushed the boundaries of what video games can achieve. Each entry builds on the last, and GTA VI represents the culmination of 25 years of open-world expertise.