Where to Start · Grand Theft Auto
Where to Start with Grand Theft Auto
Grand Theft Auto is Rockstar's open-world crime series — sandboxes built around missions, satire, and freedom to ignore the script until you're ready. Each numbered entry tells a standalone story; no homework required. Explore every release on GameOrder, then pick your first heist below.
Best for most players: GTA V
Grand Theft Auto V is the most polished, content-rich introduction to what modern GTA feels like — three protagonists, Los Santos at a scale the PS2 era could only hint at, and a campaign that refines shooting, driving, and set-piece pacing for hundreds of hours beyond the credits if you want it.
Beloved classic era: GTA: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is the standout if you crave the most celebrated PS2-generation entry — enormous map for its day, gang story with heart, and systems layered on top of the GTA III–era template. Expect older driving and gunplay than V, but the ambition still lands.
Grounded crime drama: GTA IV
Grand Theft Auto IV is the pick when you want a heavier, more cinematic and grounded Liberty City story — grittier tone, weightier vehicles, and a narrative that lingers on immigrants and bad choices more than California excess.
Availability — GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas were delisted from digital stores in December 2021. Physical copies are required for those releases as they were sold before the takedown.
Skip as your first GTA — GTA and GTA 2 are top-down arcade crime games — brilliant history, but a completely different format from the 3D open-world series people mean when they say Grand Theft Auto now.