Grand Theft Auto | |
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Series logo, used since Grand Theft Auto III (2001).
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Genres | Action-adventure |
Developers | |
Publishers | Rockstar Games |
Creators | |
Platforms | |
Platform of origin |
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First release |
Grand Theft Auto October 1997 |
Latest release |
Grand Theft Auto V 17 September 2013 |
Grand Theft Auto is an action-adventure video game series created by David Jones, Mike Dailly and Sam Houser; the later titles of which were created by brothers Dan and Sam Houser, Leslie Benzies and Aaron Garbut. It is primarily developed by Rockstar North (formerly DMA Design), and published by Rockstar Games. The name of the series references the term used in the US for motor vehicle theft.
Most games in the series are set in fictional locales modelled on cities, usually either Liberty City, Vice City, or San Andreas, which are stand-ins for New York City, Miami, and the state of California, respectively. The first game encompassed three fictional cities, while subsequent titles tend to emphasise a single setting. Gameplay focuses on an open world where the player can choose missions to progress an overall story, as well as engaging in side activities, all consisting of action-adventure, driving, third-person shooting, occasional role-playing, stealth, and racing elements. The series focuses around many different protagonists who attempt to rise through the ranks of the criminal underworld, although their motives for doing so vary in each game. The series also has elements of the earlier beat 'em up games from the 16-bit era. The antagonists are commonly characters who have betrayed the protagonist or his organisation, or characters who have the most impact impeding the protagonist's progress. Film and music veterans have voiced characters, including Ray Liotta, Burt Reynolds, Dennis Hopper, Samuel L. Jackson, James Woods, Debbie Harry, Phil Collins, Axl Rose, and Peter Fonda. With its British origin, the series contains satire and humour.