How to Play Every GTA Game in 2026

Grand Theft Auto could be the preferred recreation collection on this planet, and Grand Theft Auto 6 is predicted to be the most important leisure launch of all time when it is launched on Nov. 19. So you’d anticipate the entire of the GTA collection to be simple to seek out and play, proper? Unsuitable!

Rockstar Video games appears to have an ambivalent perspective in the direction of GTA’s previous, significantly the early 2D video games and a few spinoff titles, and its document in making these video games accessible is decidedly spotty. Under, we break down the present state of availability of each recreation within the collection — the place you’ll find it, and what one of the best ways to play it’s.

The GTA collection is commonly divided into three eras: the “2D universe,” the “3D universe,” and the “HD universe.” As a broad rule of thumb, the video games within the 3D and HD universes are principally accessible, with some caveats, whereas the 2D universe video games are unavailable until you may have outdated {hardware} or are ready to get inventive.

GTA Plus is an efficient place to start out

In the event you’re a GTA On-line participant, and even for those who’re not, the GTA Plus subscription service is a good-value shortcut to taking part in traditional GTA video games. Entry to a roster of traditional Rockstar video games is included, which naturally features a few GTA titles. In the intervening time, the next GTA video games are included:

• Grand Theft Auto 3
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis
• Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
• Grand Theft Auto: Liberty Metropolis Tales
• Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
• Grand Theft Auto 5
• Grand Theft Auto On-line

GTA Plus prices $7.99 monthly. Entry is proscribed to the platform you subscribe to GTA Plus on (console or PC) plus cellular variations of the video games, the place relevant.

Now let’s run down each recreation within the collection and the place you possibly can play it.

1

Grand Theft Auto

• 12 months: 1997
• The place to play: Recreation Boy Coloration, PlayStation 1, Home windows PC

The unique 1997 recreation — performed seen from above, in 2D — predates Rockstar Video games itself and isn’t formally accessible presently. For some time, it was accessible to obtain totally free from Rockstar’s web site, nevertheless it was eliminated in 2013.

GTA could be thought-about abandonware at this level; whether or not this makes pirating a duplicate ethically acceptable is as much as the person. It will not run on a contemporary PC with out modification although. In case you have retro consoles, the Recreation Boy Coloration model is fairly rudimentary, and the PlayStation model has the good thing about a hardcopy map included.

2

Grand Theft Auto: London 1969

• 12 months: 1999
• The place to play: PlayStation, Home windows PC

This growth for the unique GTA, taking motion again to swinging London, can be formally unavailable, and all of the above applies: you will have to supply a modified model to run on a contemporary PC, or play it from a traditional PlayStation disc. The PlayStation model was additionally offered as a standalone recreation known as GTA: London — Particular Version.

3

Grand Theft Auto: London 1961

• 12 months: 1999
• The place to play: Home windows PC

This second growth for the unique GTA was launched as freeware, and on PC solely. It is formally unavailable and you will have to supply modified code to run it on a contemporary PC.

4

Grand Theft Auto 2

• 12 months: 1999
• The place to play: Recreation Boy Coloration, Dreamcast, PlayStation, Home windows PC

Typically thought-about one thing of a miss, this rote sequel is oddly set within the (then) way forward for 2013. As for availability, you realize the drill by now. You will want to seek out modified PC code someplace or personal retro consoles. Keep away from the essential Recreation Boy Coloration model and monitor it down on Dreamcast on PlayStation.

5

Grand Theft Auto 3

• 12 months: 2001
• The place to play: Grand Theft Auto Trilogy — The Definitive Version on Android, iOS, Nintendo Change, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Home windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X

Within the “3D universe” period, issues get loads simpler. The sport-changing cultural occasion that was GTA 3 is fairly simple to play, however there’s an issue.

On all trendy consoles, PC, and cellular, you possibly can play the 2021 remaster that was included in Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — The Definitive Version. A phrase of warning, although. The remaster, developed by Grove Road Video games, was broadly criticized for technical points and untrue visible upgrades. It has been improved in patches since, nevertheless it’s nonetheless not precisely the traditional GTA 3 expertise. It is a poor state of affairs for some of the necessary and influential video games of all time.

If you wish to play one thing nearer to the unique model of the sport, the ten 12 months Anniversary Version cellular port from 2011 remains to be accessible on iOS and Android. The best possible expertise might be an unique copy of the sport on PlayStation 2 or Xbox.

6

Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis

• 12 months: 2002
• The place to play: Grand Theft Auto Trilogy — The Definitive Version on Android, iOS, Nintendo Change, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Home windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X

Every little thing I wrote above about GTA 3 applies right here. You’ll be able to play the 2021 remaster on absolutely anything, nevertheless it’s not very trustworthy. The tenth anniversary cellular port remains to be accessible, however purists ought to monitor down an unique PS2 or Xbox copy.

7

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

• 12 months: 2004
• The place to play: Grand Theft Auto Trilogy — The Definitive Version on Android, iOS, Nintendo Change, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Home windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X

Identical once more! For ease, go for the Definitive Version in your platform of alternative. In the event you’re not into the remaster’s adjustments, attempt the tenth anniversary cellular port or monitor down an unique PS2 or Xbox copy.

There is a twist right here, although — the tenth anniversary version of San Andreas additionally discovered its technique to PS3 and Xbox 360, and the Xbox 360 model is backward suitable with Xbox One and Xbox Sequence X. It is not on the market, however for those who personal it digitally or have it on disc, you possibly can play it in your trendy Xbox.

8

Grand Theft Auto Advance

• 12 months: 2004
• The place to play: Recreation Boy Advance

This is an actual curio: a GTA recreation within the top-down 2D model, however formally a part of the 3D universe canon, and a prequel to GTA 3. It is now not formally accessible; your solely choice right here is to trace down an unique cart and play it on retro {hardware}.

9

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty Metropolis Tales

• 12 months: 2005
• The place to play: Android, iOS

This is one other GTA 3 prequel, this time with extra recognizable 3D gameplay. It was initially launched for the PlayStation Transportable handheld, and later acquired a PS2 model, however the best technique to play it now’s the cellular port from the mid-2010s.

10

Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis Tales

• 12 months: 2006
• The place to play: PSP, PS2

Rockstar Video games continued its run of handheld prequels to the 3D universe video games with this companion piece to Vice Metropolis, which, for no matter cause, it didn’t deign to bless with a cellular port. If you wish to play this one, you will want a PSP or a PS2 to take action; it is now not formally accessible.