The History of the Grand Theft Auto Franchise in America

BMG Interactive is Founded in London

Jan 1, 1994

BMG Interactive, developer of Grand Theft Auto, is founded in London.

Grand Theft Auto is released for DOS/Windows

Feb 28, 1998

The original Grand Theft Auto is released in the United States for MS-DOS and Windows.

Take-Two Interactive Purchases BMG Interactive

Mar 1, 1998

Take-Two Interactive, an American publisher, developer and distributor, purchases BMG Interactive from Bertlesmann AG for approximately $14.2 million.

Grand Theft Auto is released for Playstation

Jun 30, 1998

The original Grand Theft Auto is released in the United States for the Sony Playstation.

Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 is released for DOS, Windows and Playstation

Apr 29, 1999

Grand Theft Auto: London 1969, an expansion to the original GTA, is released in the United States under the name of "Grand Theft Auto: Director's Cut" for MS-DOS, Windows and Sony Playstation.

Grand Theft Auto: London 1961 is released for Windows

Jun 1, 1999

Grand Theft Auto: London 1961, an additional expansion, is released in the United States for Windows.

Grand Theft Auto 2 is released for Windows

Sep 30, 1999

Grand Theft Auto 2 is released in the United States for Windows.

Grand Theft Auto 2 is released for Playstation

Oct 25, 1999

Grand Theft Auto 2 is released in the United States for the Sony Playstation.

Grand Theft Auto is released in the US on Game Boy Color

Nov 22, 1999

A toned-down version of the original Grand Theft Auto iw released in the United States for the Nintendo Game Boy Color.

Grand Theft Auto 2 is released for Windows

Dec 25, 1999

A toned-down version of Grand Theft Auto 2 is released for the Nintendo Game Boy Color.

Grand Theft Auto 2 is released for Dreamcast

Apr 30, 2000

Grand Theft Auto 2 is released in the United States for the Sega Dreamcast.

September 11, 2001

Sep 11, 2001

The World Trade Center in New York City is struck by two hijacked passenger airliners in a coordinated terrorist attack.

Grand Theft Auto 3's Original Scheduled Release Date

Oct 2, 2001

Grand Theft Auto 3 was originally scheduled to release on this date, but the September 11 attacks forced publisher, Rockstar Games, to delay the game to October 22.

Grand Theft Auto 3 is released for Playstation 2

Oct 22, 2001

Grand Theft Auto 3 is released in the United States for the Sony Playstation 2.

Grand Theft Auto 3 is released for Windows

May 20, 2002

Grand Theft Auto 3 is released in the United States for Windows.

Grand Theft Auto Vice City is released for Playstation 2

Oct 29, 2002

Grand Theft Auto Vice City is released in the United States for the Sony Playstation 2.

Grand Theft Auto Vice City is released for Windows

May 12, 2003

Grand Theft Auto Vice City is released in the United States for Windows.

Grand Theft Auto 3 is released for Xbox

Oct 31, 2003

Grand Theft Auto 3 is released in the United States for the Microsoft Xbox.

Grand Theft Auto Vice City is released for Xbox

Oct 31, 2003

Grand Theft Auto Vice City is released in the United States the Microsoft Xbox.

Grand Theft Auto Advance is released for the Game Boy Advance

Oct 25, 2004

Grand Theft Auto Advnace is released in the United States for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance.

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas is released for the Playstation 2

Oct 26, 2004

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas is released in the United States for the Sony Playstation 2.

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas is released for Windows and Xbox

Jun 7, 2005

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas is released in the United States for Windows and the Microsoft Xbox.

Hot Coffee Controversy

Jul 20, 2005

A pornographic mini-game was discovered and unlocked through hacking in Grand Theft Auto San Andreas. The hack caused the game to be recalled, rerated by the ESRB to an AO (Adults Only) rating and pulled off of shelves so that a patch could be issued, removing the content from the game. More information on Hot Coffee

Rockstar Games, Take Two and the FTC Settle in the "Hot Coffe" Case

Jun 8, 2006

More than a year after Grand Theft Auto San Andreas is pulled off of shelves, Rockstar Games, Take Two and the FTC settle a case in the "Hot Coffe" controversy.

Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories is released for the PSP

Oct 24, 2006

Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories, a portable remake of Grand Theft Auto 3, is released in the United States for Sony Playstation Portable.

Grand Theft Auto IV is released for Xbox 360/Playstation 3

Apr 29, 2008

Grand Theft Auto IV is released in the United States for the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony Playstation 3.

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas is released on XBLA

Oct 20, 2008

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas is released in the United States on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Grand Theft Auto IV is released for Windows

Dec 2, 2008

Grand Theft Auto IV is released in the United States for Windows

Grand Theft Auto Lost and Damned is released on Xbox 360

Feb 17, 2009

Grand Theft Auto Lost and Damned, the first expansion to Grand Theft Auto 4, is released in the United States for the Microsoft Xbox 360.

Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars is released for Nintendo DS

Mar 17, 2009

Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars is released in the United States for the Nintendo DS.

Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars is released for PSP

Oct 20, 2009

A port of Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars is released in the United States for the Sony Playstation Portable

Grand Theft Auto The Ballad of Gay Tony is released on Xbox 360

Oct 29, 2009

Grand Theft Auto The Ballad of Gay Tony, the second expansion to Grand Theft Auto 4, is released in the United States for the Microsoft Xbox 360.

Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars is released on iOS

Jan 17, 2010

Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars is released in the United States on Apple's iOS.

Grand Theft Auto Lost and Damned is released on Xbox 360

Apr 13, 2010

Grand Theft Auto Lost and Damned, the first expansion to Grand Theft Auto 4, is released in the United States for the Sony Playstation 3 and Windows.

Grand Theft Auto The Ballad of Gay Tony is released on PS3/Windows

Apr 13, 2010

Grand Theft Auto The Ballad of Gay Tony, the second expansion to Grand Theft Auto 4, is released in the United States for the Sony Playstation 3 and Windows.

Grand Theft Auto Vice City is released for MAC OS X

Nov 12, 2010

Grand Theft Auto Vice City is released in the United States for MAC OS X.

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas is released for MAC OS X

Nov 12, 2010

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas is released in the United States for MAC OS X

Grand Theft Auto 3 is released for MAC OS X

Nov 22, 2010

Grand Theft Auto 3 is released in the United States for MAC OS X.

Grand Theft Auto 3 is released for iOS/Android

Dec 15, 2011

Grand Theft Auto 3 is released in the United States on iOS and Android.

Grand Theft Auto 3 is released for on the Playstation Network

Sep 25, 2012

Grand Theft Auto 3 is released in the United States on the Sony Playstation Network.

Grand Theft Auto Vice City is released for iOS

Dec 6, 2012

Grand Theft Auto Vice City is released in the United States for Apple's iOS.

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas is released on PSN

Dec 11, 2012

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas is released in the United States on the Playstation Network.

Grand Theft Auto Vice City is released for Android

Dec 12, 2012

Grand Theft Auto Vice City is released in the United States for Google's Android.

Grand Theft Auto Vice City is released for Windows

Jan 29, 2013

Grand Theft Auto Vice City is released in the United States on the Sony Playstation Network.

Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories is released on PSN

Apr 2, 2013

A version of Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories is released in the United States on the Sony Playstation Network.

Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories is released for the PS2

May 7, 2013

A version of Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories is released in the United States for Sony Playstation 2.

Grand Theft Auto V is scheduled for release on Xbox 360 and PS3

Nov 17, 2013

Grand Theft Auto V, the first new entry into the series in four years, is scheduled for release in the United States for the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony Playstation 3.