Top 5 GTA games fans played first in their lives
The GTA series has made a name for itself in the gaming community since its debut in 1997. The journey that started with Grand Theft Auto 1 has been going strong with the fifth instalment in the series and the sixth one about to come next year. Being an almost two-decades-old gaming franchise, fans have played different GTA games first in their lives. That's exactly what was discussed on Reddit under user Numerous-Employee-96's post.
This article shares the top five Grand Theft Auto games that players played for the first time in their lives. The following list is based on the number of up-votes each game received on the post at the time of writing.
NOTE: Some aspects of the article are subjective and reflect the writer's opinions.
Five GTA games that gamers played first include Vice City, San Andreas, and more
5) GTA San Andreas
GTA San Andreas is one of the most ambitious titles in the history of the Grand Theft Auto series. First released in 2004 for PS2, it has been ported over to newer platforms, most recently as part of The Definitive Edition.
The game tells the story of Carl "CJ" Johnson as he clears his name and brings his family back together while taking over control of the streets. The title features many first features in the series like the Gyms, the playable Basketball mini-game, the Jetpack, operable tow trucks, the ability to swim, and more.
Many players experienced the San Andreas as their first ever Grand Theft Auto title, leading them to become fans of the series.
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4) GTA 5
The GTA 5 is the latest and ongoing installment in the series. Released in 2013 for Xbox 360 and PS3, the game has been released on other platforms including PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
The title tells the story of three different protagonists - Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton, and Trevor Philips. Each deals with their own life problems, and eventually works together against the corrupt Feds with the help of other notable characters like Lester Crest.
The game is still quite popular in 2024 mainly because of its online counterpart, GTA Online, which the developers still support with regular updates. For many gamers, this is the first Grand Theft Auto title they ever experienced.
Also Check: GTA 5 cheats PS5
3) GTA 1
GTA 1, or simply Grand Theft Auto, is the one that started it all. Released in 1997 for PC and later ported to PlayStation and Game Boy Colour, it quickly gained the attention of the gaming industry. The game was way ahead of its time, with three different cities to explore, numerous missions to complete, and spending money on things like paint jobs.
Being played entirely from a top-down perspective, the game tells the story of a silent criminal in the three most iconic cities that also made its debut with it - Liberty City, San Andreas, and Vice City. While there are only a limited number of weapons available in it, it was still the first ever Grand Theft Auto game that many gamers played for the first time and immediately got hooked to the series.
2) GTA Vice City
Grand Theft Auto Vice City is one of the most popular titles in the series, and for good reason. It was the second game of the 3D Universe released first in 2002 for PlayStation 2 and later released to almost every major platform as latest as in 2023 for Android and IOS with The Definitive Edition.
The game tells the story of one of the most iconic protagonists in the series - Tommy Vercetti, as he rises to become the criminal lord in Vice City. It also features several unique things at the time like an accessible Strip Club, an eating mechanic, and more.
Being so popular at the time, it was many gamers' first Grand Theft Auto title before trying other ones.
Also Check: 5 Vice City Stories' vehicles that should return in the next title
1) GTA 3
Grand Theft Auto 3 is the first entry in the 3D Universe of the series, taking it to the next level of entertainment. Released first in 2001 for PS2, Rockstar Games ported the game over many platform generations, most recently with The Definitive Edition.
Set in Liberty City, the game tells the adventure of Claude, the silent protagonist, as he works for different factions in the city like Yakuza, Mafia, and others. Being the first to ditch the top-down perspective from previous games and shift to a full 3D world, it quickly became the most popular game in the early 2000s.
Many gamers experienced Grand Theft Auto with this Liberty City version of the game, making them lifelong fans of the series.
The next title in the series, Grand Theft Auto 6, will be released in the fall of 2025.
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