It's Time to Relax... On 'Coral Island' - The Loop
01:58This article is about the Grand Theft Auto series. For other uses, see Grand Theft Auto (disambiguation).
Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is a long-running video game series created by British development house Rockstar North (formerly DMA Design) and published by their American parent company Rockstar Games.
The series was created by David Scott Jones and Mike Dailly, with subsequent titles under Rockstar North's name being developed under the oversight of brothers Dan and Sam Houser, Aaron Garbut and former president Leslie Benzies.
Throughout its history, the series has always courted controversy due mainly to the mature content of the games, with all but one game being rated the local equivalent of Mature/Adult/R.
Grand Theft Auto held 10 world gaming records, including the Most Guest Stars in a Video Game Series, Largest Voice Cast in a Video Game (Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas), Largest In-Game Soundtrack (Grand Theft Auto IV), and Most Successful Entertainment Launch Of All Time (Grand Theft Auto V). The Grand Theft Auto series has also been ranked 5[1] in the best-selling video game franchises of all time.
The first trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI on December 4, 2023, broke three previous Guinness World Records for most viewed videogame reveal on YouTube in 24 hours (at 90,421,491 views), most liked videogame trailer on YouTube (with 8.9 million likes in the first 24 hours) and most viewed YouTube video in 24 hours (non-music) (surpassing MrBeast's "Every Country On Earth Fights For $250,000").[2]
As of August 2023, the Grand Theft Auto series had sold over 405 million copies worldwide.
The next entry in the series, Grand Theft Auto VI, is scheduled for release in 2025, and is due to be the most immersive title in the series.
The Grand Theft Auto series, belonging to, and to some extent defining the genre of free-roaming video games called "sandbox games", grants a large amount of freedom to the player in deciding what to do and how to do it through multiple methods of transport and weapons. Unlike most traditional action games, which are structured as a single-track series of levels with linear gameplay, in GTA the player can determine the missions they want to undertake, and their relationships with various characters are changed based on these choices. The cities of the games can also be roamed freely at any point in the game, offering many accessible buildings and minor missions. There are exceptions: missions follow a linear, overarching plot, and some city areas must be unlocked over the course of the game.
The plot of the games generally allows the player to take on the role of a criminal in a big city, typically an individual who rises through the ranks of organised crime through the course of the game. Various missions are set for completion by the figureheads of the city underworld, generally criminal, which must be completed to progress through the storyline. Assassinations and other crimes feature regularly. Other activities like taxi driving, firefighting, pimping, street racing, or learning to fly fixed-wing aircraft are also involved as alternate adventures, which can be done at any time during the game, with the exception of the periods performing main missions.
Setting
With the exception of the London expansion/mission packs for the original game and The Cayo Perico Heist update for Grand Theft Auto Online, the games are set in a fictional, heavily satirical recreation of the United States of America with references made to the rest of the world. Gameplay takes place in settings ranging from the largest cities in the country to small towns and remote wilderness and desert areas.
Universes
Individual games in the series have been categorized into three distinct parallel universes, officially named by Rockstar Games as the "2D Universe", "3D Universe" and the "HD Universe". Each universe is designed to be completely separate to each other so that no physically appearing characters or storylines would overlap. Different variants of existing brands and in-game media personalities exist across these universes, as completely different characters.
The 2D Universe follows the independent storylines of DMA Design's original top-down titles, following the stories of various criminal organizations surrounding the silent male and female protagonists doing freelance work for each group. The 2D Universe consists of Grand Theft Auto, Grand Theft Auto: London and Grand Theft Auto 2.
The 3D Universe started in 2001 with the release of Grand Theft Auto III, a reboot of the series, introducing full 3D graphics during gameplay using the RenderWare engine. The universe's other games are prequels of the canon established in Grand Theft Auto III, loosely connected to the game's events. The canon of this universe consists of Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto Advance, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.
In addition, this universe is shared with Rockstar North's survival horror duology Manhunt, including its brands and certain celebrity characters.
In 2006, Rockstar Games developed its proprietary game engine Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE), which had its debut in Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis, a sports game developed by Rockstar San Diego.
The first use of the RAGE engine in the Grand Theft Auto was in 2008, with the second and latest reboot in the series, officially named the HD Universe, which consists of all titles following the new canon established in Grand Theft Auto IV. This includes Grand Theft Auto IV, Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online.
There are currently sixteen games in the series, including two expansion packs for the original game, two expansions for GTA IV, and a dedicated multiplayer title. The games have been released for various platforms, including the PC, PSX, PS2, Xbox, PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One, GBC, DC, GBA, PSP, DS, iPhone and Android with all but two of the games released on multiple platforms.
2D Universe
The following games are set in the same universe and continuity established by the original Grand Theft Auto.
Grand Theft Auto IV (or as we affectionately call it, GTA IV) is like the holy grail of chaos, the eleventh installment in the legendary Grand Theft Auto franchise, and it's the beginning of the wild ride known as the GTA IV Era.
Developed by the mad geniuses at Rockstar North, this beast of a game was unleashed upon the world by Rockstar Games, dropping bombs on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The frenzy hit its peak on April 29, 2008, with the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, setting records left and right. And let's not forget the PC version, dropping in like a bomb on December 3, 2008.
Game Information
Game Content
Game Features
Main Articles
Alright, let's dive into this like a shark in a feeding frenzy. Grand Theft Auto IV ain't just your run-of-the-mill shoot 'em up. Nah, it's got layers deeper than the Mariana Trench. You got Niko Bellic, our main man, coming straight outta the old country, ready to tear through the American dream like a bull in a china shop.
Now, Niko, he ain't one to mince words. He's out here dropping truth bombs left and right, calling out capitalism for what it is – a dirty game played by the rich and greedy. And don't even get him started on American stereotypes – strip malls, obesity, you name it, he's seen it all, and he ain't impressed.
But it ain't all doom and gloom. You got characters like Roman Bellic and his crew, living that optimistic life, chasing their slice of the American pie. They're the ones waving the flag of hope while Niko's over here drowning in cynicism.
And let's talk about that American dream, shall we? Turns out, it's more like a nightmare for some folks. From Playboy X to Packie McReary, everyone's struggling to make ends meet, no matter where they come from. Money's flying out the door faster than you can say "cha-ching," and nobody's immune to the allure of excess.
But what sets GTA IV apart is its complexity. We're talking plot twists sharper than a switchblade and a cast of characters longer than a CVS receipt. And for the first time ever, you, the player, get to call the shots. Every choice you make sends ripples through the story, haunting Niko like a ghost from his past.
Speaking of which, Niko ain't exactly living the high life. He's carrying more baggage than a bellhop at the Ritz, and there's no escaping his past. Every deal gone wrong, every friend lost – it's all weighing on him like a ton of bricks. And when it all comes crashing down in the end, he's left with nothing but regrets and a longing for a way out.
So yeah, Grand Theft Auto IV ain't your typical shoot 'em up. It's a gritty, thought-provoking journey through the underbelly of the American dream, with Niko Bellic leading the charge – one bullet at a time.
https://www.grandtheftwiki.com/Grand_Theft_Auto_IVhttps://www.grandtheftwiki.com/Grand_Theft_Auto_IV<p align="center"><strong>Theme</strong></p> <p align="center">Picture this: the first words out of Niko's mouth in the debut trailer for this game. It's like the opening salvo in a war of cultural critique. Niko Bellic, our man from beyond the borders, storms into the United States, tearing apart American culture like it's a pinata at a kid's birthday party. <em>Grand Theft Auto IV</em> isn't just about stealing cars and causing chaos; it's a deep dive into Niko's psyche, his take-no-prisoners approach to dissecting American life. He's like a philosopher with a grenade launcher, making the murky waters of social commentary crystal clear.</p> <p align="center">Now, Niko might seem like he's always on the money, but even he's got his flaws. He's the poster child for cynicism, but hey, at least he's honest. The game's plot is a tangled web of themes, with Niko at the center, poking holes in the American dream like it's Swiss cheese.</p> <p align="center">Rockstar Games slaps a question on the box: "What's the deal with the American dream nowadays?" Niko's not buying it, though. He's got capitalism in his crosshairs, calling it out as the dirty business it is. And don't even get him started on American greed; according to him, it's like a plague, infecting everyone it touches. But hey, it's not all doom and gloom. You've got characters like Roman Bellic, Brucie Kibbutz, and Bernie Crane, living the high life and trying to drag Niko along for the ride.</p> <p align="center">But here's the kicker: the American dream? It's more like a nightmare. Money troubles plague everyone from the hood to the penthouse. The Beat 102.7 lays it out plain and simple: people just can't handle their cash. And then there's "I'm Rich," a show that's basically a highlight reel of excess, making you feel like a pauper just for watching.</p> <p align="center">As for the plot? It's thicker than a bowl of oatmeal. Choices matter, consequences stack up, and Niko's past is always nipping at his heels. He's haunted by every wrong turn, every bad call. There's no escape, no fresh start. It's a life sentence in the school of hard knocks.</p>
