Where to Actually Play Every Grand Theft Auto Game in 2026

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Grand Theft Auto stands as arguably the most successful video game franchise globally, with Grand Theft Auto 6 poised to shatter entertainment launch records upon its arrival on November 19. Naturally, one might assume that tracking down and playing the rest of the series would be effortless. Unfortunately, that is far from reality.

Rockstar Games maintains a surprisingly detached relationship with its historical catalog—particularly the early 2D iterations and various spin-off titles—resulting in an inconsistent preservation record. Below, we examine the current accessibility of every installment across the franchise, outlining precisely where to locate them and the optimal ways to experience them today.

The catalog is traditionally categorized into three distinct eras: the 2D universe, the 3D universe, and the HD universe. As a general rule, titles spanning the 3D and HD eras remain largely accessible despite minor caveats, whereas the earliest 2D releases are entirely absent from modern storefronts unless you possess legacy hardware or employ workaround solutions.

GTA Plus serves as a convenient entry point

Whether or not you are a dedicated GTA Online enthusiast, the GTA Plus subscription tier offers a cost-effective shortcut for revisiting legacy titles. The subscription grants access to a curated rotation of classic Rockstar experiences, which frequently features several prominent Grand Theft Auto entries. The lineup currently includes:

Grand Theft Auto 3
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Grand Theft Auto 5
Grand Theft Auto Online

Priced at $7.99 per month, GTA Plus restricts your library access to the specific console or PC ecosystem where you originally subscribed, alongside supported mobile variants.

Now, let’s review every individual entry in the franchise and detail how you can play them today.

1

Grand Theft Auto

Year: 1997
Where to play: Game Boy Color, PlayStation 1, Windows PC

The foundational 1997 top-down 2D release actually predates the formation of Rockstar Games itself and is currently absent from official digital distribution. For a time, it was offered as a complimentary download directly from the developer’s official site before being quietly pulled in 2013.

Today, the original GTA effectively exists as abandonware, leaving the ethical implications of sourcing a copy to individual players. Furthermore, running it on a modern computer requires community modifications. If you prefer retro hardware, the Game Boy Color port is stripped-back and rudimentary, whereas the original PlayStation release benefits from including a physical fold-out map.

2

Grand Theft Auto: London 1969

Year: 1999
Where to play: PlayStation, Windows PC

This period-accurate expansion for the inaugural game transports criminal antics to 1960s London, but it suffers from the exact same accessibility hurdles outlined above. To play on contemporary hardware, you must track down fan-patched code for PC or spin up an original PlayStation disc. Notably, the PlayStation edition was also distributed commercially as a standalone standalone package titled Grand Theft Auto: London — Special Edition.

3

Grand Theft Auto: London 1961

Year: 1999
Where to play: Windows PC

Serving as a secondary expansion packaged exclusively for Windows PC users as freeware, this add-on is similarly unlisted on modern storefronts. Experiencing it today necessitates tracking down community-modified source code to guarantee compatibility with modern operating systems.

4

Grand Theft Auto 2

Year: 1999
Where to play: Game Boy Color, Dreamcast, PlayStation, Windows PC

Often considered a creative misfire, this routine sequel bizarrely took place in the futuristic setting of 2013. When it comes to playing it today, the drill remains identical: locate community patches for PC or dust off retro consoles. It is best to bypass the stripped-down Game Boy Color port entirely, opting instead for the Dreamcast or PlayStation iterations.

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5

Grand Theft Auto 3

Year: 2001
Where to play: Grand Theft Auto Trilogy — The Definitive Edition on Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X

As we transition into the paradigm-shifting “3D universe,” accessibility improves drastically—though not without controversy. The industry-shaking cultural milestone that is GTA 3 remains widely available, yet complications persist.

Across modern consoles, PC platforms, and mobile devices, players are directed toward the 2021 remaster bundled inside Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — The Definitive Edition. A notable caveat accompanies this version: developed by Grove Street Games, the remaster faced intense scrutiny upon launch due to pervasive technical issues and questionable visual alterations. While subsequent patches have mitigated many of these flaws, it still fails to deliver an authentic recreation of the original GTA 3 experience—a disappointing reality for one of the most culturally significant video games in history.

For purists seeking an experience faithful to the original release, the 2011 10th Anniversary mobile port remains functional on iOS and Android devices. Ultimately, however, the definitive way to play is through an original physical copy on PlayStation 2 or Xbox hardware.

6

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Year: 2002
Where to play: Grand Theft Auto Trilogy — The Definitive Edition on Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X

Nearly everything mentioned regarding GTA 3 holds true here as well. While the 2021 remaster is available on virtually every modern platform, it departs significantly from the original artistic vision. The 10th-anniversary mobile release remains accessible, but franchise purists should hunt down authentic PlayStation 2 or Xbox media.

7

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Year: 2004
Where to play: Grand Theft Auto Trilogy — The Definitive Edition on Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X

The situation repeats itself here. For maximum convenience, the Definitive Edition remains available on your hardware platform of choice. Alternatively, players dissatisfied with the remaster’s creative liberties can seek out the mobile port or source original PS2 or Xbox cartridges.

An interesting exception exists, however: the 10th-anniversary iteration of San Andreas also transitioned to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 generations. Crucially, the Xbox 360 build supports backwards compatibility on Xbox One and Xbox Series X consoles. While it is no longer actively purchasable on digital storefronts, owners of the digital license or physical disc can seamlessly play it on current Xbox hardware.

8

Grand Theft Auto Advance

Year: 2004
Where to play: Game Boy Advance

Here lies a true historical oddity: a Grand Theft Auto title utilizing the classic top-down 2D engine perspective, yet officially designated as part of the 3D universe canon and structured as a narrative prequel to GTA 3. Because it is no longer officially supported or sold, experiencing it requires securing an original Game Boy Advance cartridge to run on legacy hardware.

9

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

Year: 2005
Where to play: Android, iOS

Serving as another direct precursor to GTA 3, this installment embraces full 3D mechanics. Initially launched for the PlayStation Portable handheld system before receiving a subsequent PlayStation 2 port, the most frictionless way to play today involves utilizing the mid-2010s mobile conversion.

10

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

Year: 2006
Where to play: PSP, PS2

Rockstar continued its streak of portable prequels within the 3D era by releasing this companion piece to Vice City—though, for reasons unknown, it was never blessed with a modern mobile conversion. Anyone wishing to experience this particular story must secure functional PSP or PS2 hardware, as it remains entirely absent from official digital distribution.

Source: Polygon