If there’s anything the Grand Theft Auto series has taught gamers, it’s that crime doesn’t just pay, but it pays big. This franchise has been exploring the criminally underbelly of American pop culture and capitalism for nearly two-and-a-half decades, and with the continued success of Grand Theft Auto Online, it looks like there’s no stopping it.
Today, the Grand Theft Auto franchise has more than a dozen titles, several expansion packs, and a ludicrously profitable online component in GTA Online. But the series wasn’t always this successful. For those interested in exploring the entire franchise from its humble beginnings all the way up to its most recent successes, here’s where to play the Grand Theft Auto games now, whether it’s on PC or console, or physical or digital.
Grand Theft Auto Games: Platforms Physical, Digital & How To Play
We all know the meme about how Grand Theft Auto V has been released on every console under the sun. What most people forget, though, is that the same rule applies for the rest of the GTA series going all the way back to GTA 3 on the PS2. That means you shouldn’t run into issues playing most of the Grand Theft Auto games released in 2001 and later.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said of the 2D games in the franchise. GTA games set in the 2D universe are notoriously difficult to find, don’t support modern resolutions, and run poorly on modern PCs.
Read on for the full list of where to play the Grand Theft Auto games today.
Grand Theft Auto
| Console | Version | Physical / Digital |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Original release | Both |
| PlayStation 1 | Original release | Physical |
| PlayStation 2 | Original PS1 release (via backwards compatibility) | Physical |
| PlayStation 3 | Original PS1 release (via backwards compatibility) | Digital |
| PlayStation Classic | Emulated re-release | Digital |
| Game Boy Color | Original release | Physical |
The GTA series today is a true mega-franchise that has raked in more than $10 billion for Rockstar, but we can look back at 1997’s Grand Theft Auto to see its humble beginnings.
Several years ago, Rockstar made the PC version of Grand Theft Auto available for free on their Rockstar Classics website. Then, in 2017, the game was sold as part of the GTA Complete Bundle on Steam.
Since then, the GTA Complete Bundle and the individual store page for Grand Theft Auto have been delisted from Steam, and the Rockstar Classics website has been made inaccessible. If you didn’t get a copy while it was still available, there currently isn’t a way to legally obtain the PC version of Grand Theft Auto.
Physical copies of the original PC version of Grand Theft Auto are virtually impossible to get online. And although mirror links to the Rockstar Classics freeware version of the game have been circulating the internet for years, it’s unclear what Rockstar’s stance is on their legality.
Now, for a bit of good news. You shouldn’t have much trouble finding a used copy of the PS1 disc on eBay or Amazon (good luck finding an unopened copy, though). The PS1 version of Grand Theft Auto is also playable on “fat” PS2s and PS3s (the “slim” models don’t have backwards compatibility).
In 2020, Grand Theft Auto was included as one of the 20 games preloaded on the PlayStation Classic. Reviews of the device have been mixed, but this is a good option if you want to just plug in and play on a modern TV without special converters or cables. Note that the PlayStation Classic runs an emulated version of the game, which might bother archivists and purists, but should be a non-issue for everyone else.
Used copies of the Game Boy Color port of the game are also readily available online, though cartridges in good condition can go for upwards of $50.
Grand Theft Auto: London 1969
| Console | Version | Physical / Digital |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Original release | Physical |
| PlayStation 1 | Original release | Physical |
Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 is an expansion pack for the original Grand Theft Auto on the PC and PS1. You must have the disc for the original GTA game to play London 1969 on the PS1. For those looking to play on PC, you need a copy of GTA installed on your system before you can launch London 1969.
At the time of writing, used physical copies of the PC version of London 1969 can be found on Amazon for less than $10, but they’re in short supply. Physical copies of the PS1 release, however, are a lot harder to find anywhere online.
If you manage to snag a PS1 copy of the game, it’s playable on fat model PS2s via backwards compatibility. Note that although fat model PS3s have no issue playing most PS1 games (including the original Grand Theft Auto), some firmware versions have disc swapping issues, so you may not be able to play London 1969 on your PS3.
Grand Theft Auto: London 1961
| Console | Version | Physical / Digital |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Original release | Physical |
Grand Theft Auto: London 1961 is an expansion pack to London 1969, which itself is an expansion pack to the first Grand Theft Auto game. That means you’ll need to have both GTA and London 1969 installed on your PC before you can play London 1961. Unlike London 1969, this game was never released on the PS1.
Unfortunately, London 1961 is almost impossible to get your hands on legally. The expansion pack was previously made available as freeware on the official Rockstar website, but that download link has been deactivated.
Grand Theft Auto 2
| Console | Version | Physical / Digital |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Original release | Both |
| PlayStation | Original release | Physical |
| PlayStation 2 | Original PS1 release (via backwards compatibility) | Physical |
| PlayStation 3 | Original PS1 release (via backwards compatibility) | Physical |
| Dreamcast | Original release | Physical |
| Game Boy Color | Original release | Physical |
In 1999, Grand Theft Auto 2 was released for the PS1 and PC. It retained the top-down camera angle of its predecessor but was the first GTA title to incorporate early 3D technology, allowing for better lighting effects and smoother animations. Ports for the Dreamcast and Game Boy Color launched a year later in 2000.
You can still find unopened bargain bin copies of GTA 2 for the PS1 on eBay. Pre-owned copies are much cheaper and easier to find.
The PS1 disc is playable on fat-model PS2s and PS3s via backwards compatibility.
Physical copies of the Dreamcast version can also be found online, though you’ll have to do some serious digging if you’re looking for unopened packages.
Cartridges of the Game Boy Color port of GTA 2 are listed on both Amazon and eBay, but prepare to spend a hefty sum. Pre-owned cartridges alone (without the packaging) can sell for more than $50, and some sealed and unopened copies will put you a cool couple hundred dollars out of pocket.
Grand Theft Auto III
| Console | Version | Physical / Digital |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Original release | Physical |
| Remaster | Digital | |
| PlayStation 2 | Original release | Physical |
| PlayStation 3 | Original PS2 release (via backwards compatibility) | Physical |
| PlayStation 4 | Remaster | Digital |
| PlayStation 5 | Remaster (via backwards compatibility) | Digital |
| Xbox | Original release | Physical |
| Xbox 360 | Original Xbox release (via backwards compatibility) | Physical |
| Xbox One | Original Xbox release (via backwards compatibility) | Physical |
| Xbox Series X | S | Original Xbox release (via backwards compatibility) | Physical |
| Android | Mobile remaster | Digital |
| iOS | Mobile remaster | Digital |
It’s no overstatement to say that Grand Theft Auto III is one of the most important video games in history. The first fully-3D game in the franchise, GTA 3 was most gamers’ introduction to fully-realized, open-world sandbox games. The game also kicked down the door for more adult-oriented storytelling in video games.
You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to platforms for playing Grand Theft Auto III — the game has been released or made playable on virtually every major platform since the PS2.
You can find pre-owned copies of the PS2 version online for cheap, though sealed copies will cost you a pretty penny. The original PS2 release is also playable on a fat-model PS3 via backwards compatibility.
The game was also remastered and released digitally on the PlayStation Store for the PS4. This version has full 1080p up-rendering and adds support for Trophies, Remote Play, Activity Feeds, and Share Play.
The digitally remastered version of the game available on the PS Store is also playable on a PS5, though it may be missing some PS4-only features.
Pre-owned copies of GTA 3 for the Xbox are ridiculously cheap on eBay and Amazon, with many going for less than $2. You can find unopened physical copies for around $20 online.
Unfortunately for Xbox gamers, the GTA 3 remaster wasn’t made available on Microsoft consoles. However, you can run the original Xbox version on the Xbox 360, Xbox One, or Xbox Series X | S via backwards compatibility.
If you want to play on PC, physical copies of GTA 3 for the PC can be hard to find. You can get a digital copy from the Microsoft Store or Steam for less than $10. These versions are digital remasters with support for modern resolutions and aspect ratios.
GTA 3 is also available on the App Store and Google Play Store for Apple and Android devices respectively. These have been remastered for HD resolutions and given support for touch controls.
There are reports of an upcoming GTA 3 Remastered for the Xbox Series X | S and PS5, but Rockstar has yet to make an official statement on the topic.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
| Console | Version | Physical / Digital |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Original release | Physical |
| Remaster | Digital | |
| PlayStation 2 | Original release | Physical |
| PlayStation 3 | Original PS2 release (via backwards compatibility) | Physical |
| PlayStation 4 | Remaster | Digital |
| PlayStation 5 | Remaster (via backwards compatibility) | Digital |
| Xbox | Original release | Physical |
| Xbox 360 | Original Xbox release (via backwards compatibility) | Physical |
| Xbox One | Original Xbox release (via backwards compatibility) | Physical |
| Xbox Series X | S | Original Xbox release (via backwards compatibility) | Physical |
| Android | Mobile remaster | Digital |
| iOS | Mobile remaster | Digital |
Want to explore the cocaine-riddled streets of a neon not-Miami? Good news. If you have a PC or a Sony or Microsoft home console released after 1999, you can play Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
Both unopened and pre-owned copies of Vice City are all over the internet, so you should be able to land yourself a copy with no problem. The PS2 disc is also playable on a fat-model PS3 via backwards compatibility.
You can download and play a digital remaster of the game from the PlayStation Store on PS4 and PS5.
Pre-owned copies of Vice City for the Xbox are super cheap on eBay and Amazon. Brand-new physical copies are pricey though, so prepare to spend $80 or more.
Again, no digital remaster for Xbox gamers, but you can run the original Xbox version on the Xbox 360, Xbox One, or Xbox Series X | S via backwards compatibility.
If you want to play on PC, pre-owned physical copies of Vice City are easy enough to find, though we’d suggest just downloading a digital copy from the Microsoft Store or Steam for less than $10. The original physical release might not run very well on a modern computer.
A remastered version of Vice City made for mobile devices is also available for Apple and Android devices.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
| Console | Version | Physical / Digital |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Original release | Physical |
| Remaster | Digital | |
| PlayStation 2 | Original release | Physical |
| PlayStation 3 | Original PS2 release (via backwards compatibility) | Physical |
| Re-release | Both | |
| PlayStation 4 | Remaster | Digital |
| PlayStation 5 | Remaster (via backwards compatibility) | Digital |
| Xbox | Original release | Physical |
| Xbox 360 | Original Xbox release (via backwards compatibility) | Physical |
| Re-release | Both | |
| Xbox One | Original Xbox release (via backwards compatibility) | Physical |
| 360 re-release (via backwards compatibility) | Both | |
| Xbox Series X | S | Original Xbox release (via backwards compatibility) | Physical |
| 360 re-release (via backwards compatibility) | Both | |
| Android | Mobile remaster | Digital |
| iOS | Mobile remaster | Digital |
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is probably the best-known game in the franchise. This satire-filled exploration of western Californian gangbanger culture is set in a massive world that includes three fully-realized cities connected by expanses of countryside, deserts, and forests.
Amazon and eBay have plenty of stock of brand-new and pre-owned physical copies of the PS2 version of San Andreas. You can also play the PS2 version on PS3 via backwards compatibility.
The game was re-released on the PS3 as part of the Greatest Hits collection, which was made available both physically and digitally. Physical copies of the PS3 version are even cheaper than the PS2 version and widely available online. You can also download San Andreas digitally on the PlayStation Store for the PS3.
San Andreas was remastered for the PS4 and is available as a digital download on the PlayStation Store. This version is also playable on the PS5, though the official website warns that some remaster features may not be available on Sony’s latest console.
Physical copies of the Xbox version of San Andreas are easy enough to find, though you may have trouble finding unopened copies. The original Xbox disc is playable on all Xbox consoles up to the Xbox Series X | S via backwards compatibility.
The game was also re-released on the Xbox 360 as part of the console’s Classics line. This version is even easier to find than the one for the Xbox, and brand-new physical copies are widely available on Amazon and eBay. The 360 re-release is also playable on all Xbox consoles except the original.
You aren’t likely to find any copies of the original physical release of San Andreas for PC anywhere, but the game is available digitally on Steam and the Microsoft Store. The digital version is remastered to support modern resolutions and devices and is the best route if you want to play this classic on PC.
GTA: San Andreas was remastered for Android and Apple smart devices in 2013. This version features updated game model, touch control support, and higher resolutions than the original. You can find it on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store for $6.99.
Grand Theft Auto Advance
| Console | Version | Physical / Digital |
|---|---|---|
| Game Boy Advance | Original release | Physical |
| Nintendo DS | Original GBA release (via backwards compatibility) | Physical |
Grand Theft Auto Advance was the series’ first title made exclusively for handheld gaming devices. The game is played from a top-down perspective but incorporates features and weapons from the 3D games, like vigilante missions and the HUD. GTA Advance takes place before GTA 3 in the official timeline.
Although not particularly rare or expensive, stock of GTA Advance cartridges (both used and brand-new) tends to fluctuate online.
If you do manage to wrangle yourself a copy of the game, you can also play it on a Nintendo DS via backwards compatibility. Note that only the original model Nintendo DS and DS Lite have Game Boy Advance slots. While the DSi and DSi XL technically have the hardware to run GBA games, they aren’t equipped with the appropriate GBA cartridge slot.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
| Console | Version | Physical / Digital |
|---|---|---|
| PlayStation 2 | Original release | Physical |
| PlayStation 3 | Original PS2 release (via backwards compatibility) | Both |
| PlayStation Portable | Original release | Physical |
| PlayStation Vita | Re-release of PSP version | Digital |
| Android | Mobile remaster | Digital |
| iOS | Mobile remaster | Digital |
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories is the prequel to Grand Theft Auto Advance and Grand Theft Auto III that first released for the PlayStation Portable in 2005. The game was later ported to the PS2, PS3, Apple and Android.
Used copies of the original PSP release can be found for under $10 on eBay and Amazon. Sealed physical copies are much more difficult to find and can go for more than $80 online.
A digital version of the game used to be available on the PlayStation Store for PSP, but that’s no longer an option with the closing of PSP Store servers in July of 2021. This version of the game is downloadable and playable on a PS Vita, however.
Used physical copies of the PS2 version are also widely available online for reasonable prices. Unopened copies are much rarer and much more expensive, too.
The PS2 version of the game is playable on fat model PS3s via backwards compatibility.
Liberty City Stories also got the mobile remaster treatment and is available for Android and Apple smart devices from their respective app stores.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
| Console | Version | Physical / Digital |
|---|---|---|
| PlayStation 2 | Original release | Physical |
| PlayStation 3 | Original PS2 release (via backwards compatibility) | Both |
| PlayStation Portable | Original release | Physical |
| PlayStation Vita | Re-release of PSP version | Digital |
| Android | Mobile remaster | Digital |
| iOS | Mobile remaster | Digital |
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories is chronologically the first game in GTA’s 3D universe and is set two years before GTA: Vice City. The game debuted on the PSP in 2006 and was quickly followed by a PS2 release in 2007. It was then released on the PS3 as a part of the PS2 Classics line, but this version is no longer supported by Sony and has been made unavailable.
Online retailers like Amazon have plenty of stock of the PSP and PS2 versions of Vice City Stories, so you should have zero trouble finding a copy online.
The PSP version was also available as a digital download on the PSP Store until July of 2021, when the PSP Store was shut down. This version is still downloadable and playable on a PS Vita, however.
PS2 copies of the game are also playable on fat PS3s via backwards compatibility.
A mobile remaster of Vice City Stories is available for both Android and Apple smart devices.
Grand Theft Auto IV
| Console | Version | Physical / Digital |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Original release | Both |
| PlayStation 3 | Original release | Both |
| Xbox 360 | Original release | Both |
| Xbox One | 360 release (via backwards compatibility) | Both |
| Xbox Series X | S | 360 release (via backwards compatibility) | Both |
Grand Theft Auto IV is the game that ushered in GTA’s HD universe. GTA IV marks a return to Liberty City, redesigned from the ground up to take advantage of the hardware in the PS3 and Xbox 360. For a time, GTA IV held the world record for the Most Successful Entertainment Launch of All Time, a record that was eventually smashed by GTA V.
Physical copies of GTA IV for all platforms everywhere on eBay and Amazon, and you should be able to hook yourself a copy — new or used — with little trouble.
Physical copies of the 360 version of GTA IV can be played on a Xbox One or Xbox Series X | S via backwards compatibility. You can also download a digital copy of the 360 version from the Microsoft Store.
If you’re playing on PC, GTA IV can be downloaded via Steam or the Microsoft Store.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
| Console | Version | Physical / Digital |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo DS | Original release | Physical |
| Nintendo 3DS | Original DS release (via backwards compatibility | Physical |
| PlayStation Portable | Original release | Both |
| PlayStation Vita | Digital re-release of original PSP version | Digital |
| Android | Mobile remaster | Digital |
| iOS | Mobile remaster | Digital |
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is considered a part of the HD universe, though it’s played from a top-down isometric perspective reminiscent of the original 2D universe games. Chinatown Wars was released exclusively for portable consoles and smartphones.
Physical copies of Chinatown Wars are easily found on Amazon and eBay. The PSP version is particularly common, and you can secure a brand-new copy for around $40. An unused copy of the Nintendo DS version, however, can cost more than $80. Used copies of both versions are easier to find (and much friendlier on the wallet).
The DS version of the game can also be played on a Nintendo 3DS via backwards compatibility.
The digital version of the PSP release is playable on a PlayStation Vita. Although the PSP Store has been deactivated as of July 2021, you can still download this game from the PlayStation Store on your Vita.
A mobile remaster of Chinatown Wars is available for Android and Apple smart devices. You can download it from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
Grand Theft Auto V
| Console | Version | Physical / Digital |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Original release | Both |
| PlayStation 3 | Original release | Both |
| PlayStation 4 | Remaster | Both |
| PlayStation 5 | Re-release (November 11th, 2021) | Both |
| Original PS4 release (via backwards compatibility) | Both | |
| Xbox 360 | Original release | Both |
| Xbox One | Remaster | Both |
| Original 360 version (via backwards compatibility) | Physical | |
| Xbox Series X | S | Re-release (November 11th, 2021) | Both |
| Original 360 version (via backwards compatibility) | Both | |
| Original XB1 version (via backwards compatibility) | Both |
Grand Theft Auto V broke multiple world records upon release, including Fastest Entertainment Property to Gross $1 billion (in three days), Highest Revenue Generated by an Entertainment Product, and Highest Grossing Video Game in 24 Hours ($815.7 million on release day).
The game has been released on every major non-Nintendo console since the PS3/360, and is available physically and digitally on all supported platforms.
Since the game is still actively being supported and developed by Rockstar, you’ll find physical copies of the game literally everywhere video games are sold, including brick-and-mortar retail shops.
The PS4 version of GTA V is playable on PlayStation 5 via backwards compatibility.
All Xbox versions can be played on later Xbox models, meaning you can play the Xbox One or 360 versions of the game on your Xbox Series X | S today.
GTA V will be coming natively to the latest Sony and Microsoft consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X | S ) on November 11, 2021.
You can download GTA V on PC via Steam, the Microsoft Store, or the Rockstar Games Launcher.
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