When did gta 1 come out? Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 1 was released on November 28, 1997, and what followed changed the world as we know it. Born from some of the most creative minds, the franchise is responsible for shaping the industry into the behemoth it is today.
A mixed bag of ideas and ambitions that took the form of an unstoppable machine is what best describes the most popular action and adventure franchise in existence.
To truly be able to appreciate the GTA series, we need to go back in time. To a point when a group of zealous developers were about to show the world what nobody had even dreamt.
Exploring the breif history of GTA 1
The year is 1997. The most popular games are GoldenEye 007 and Final Fantasy VII. Rockstar Games does not exist. Instead, there is a team of developers by the name of DMA Design, working on one of the most ambitious projects of all time.
Grand Theft Auto 1 was initially called Race’n’Chase and by 1997 had been in what the staff called “a development hell” for years. Luckily for us, they were able to sort out all the problems and released GTA 1 in late 1997 for MS DOS and Windows.
The game’s premise is very similar to what the basic theme of this franchise has evolved into. A group of individuals working their way up the ladder in the world of Organized Crime.
The game was grand in scale and ahead of its time. No other title stood a chance in comparison. Even back in 1997, GTA 1 had more than one radio station that aired custom-created music by made-up artists.
The game’s story took place in three fictional cities, named Liberty City, San Andreas, and Vice City. These locations have continued to appear multiple times in the franchise’s future. In 2004, San Andreas expanded from one city to a sprawling American state.
Nothing was compromised on the aspect of gameplay either. Players had the liberty to take their own route in missions, steal cars, roam freely, and explore each city and cause chaos whenever they wanted.
It had a decently sized arsenal, with the context of its time of release, which contained a pistol, a machine gun, a rocket launcher, and a flamethrower.
The progression system was level based. To pass a level, players would have to do missions, which would give them points. Once the threshold was reached, they would advance further in the story. To gain points, they could also participate in activities (mostly crime) outside of missions, but that wouldn’t fetch them nearly enough points to graduate to the next level.
Many of the mechanics from the first entry have remained within the franchise even till now. For instance, in GTA 1, some missions got triggered by answering phonecalls. Payphone assassination hits are a feature even in GTA Online and have been present in almost every game. To lose a wanted level star, players could drive in Spray Shops, which were later rebranded as Pay’n’Spray shops.
To top it all off, there was also a multiplayer feature available where players could battle against real-life counterparts via a LAN connection.
GTA 1 was a raging success and was ported to multiple gaming platforms in the following years like PlayStation in 1998 and on Gameboy Color in 1999, alongside its successor, Grand Theft Auto 2 . It managed to sell over three million copies, which for the late 90s is a massive feat.
DMA Design was later taken over by Take-Two Interactive Software and rebranded as Rockstar North, making it possible for some of the most iconic video games in human history to be made.
FAQs
What was GTA 1 called?
The first Grand Theft Auto game was originally called Race’n’Chase. It was originally planned to be released on MS-DOS, Windows 95, PlayStation, Sega Saturn and the Nintendo 64. However, it was never released for the two latter consoles.
The game was renamed Grand Theft Auto before its release. The name change was made to reflect the game’s more open-ended gameplay and its focus on criminal activity.
Grand Theft Auto was released in 1997 and was a critical and commercial success. The game was praised for its innovative gameplay and its satirical take on American culture. It is considered to be one of the most influential video games of all time.
The game was followed by a number of sequels and spin-offs, including Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The series has become one of the most popular and critically acclaimed video game franchises of all time.
What is the oldest GTA?
The oldest Grand Theft Auto game is the original Grand Theft Auto, released in 1997 for MS-DOS and Windows. It was later ported to the PlayStation in 1998 and the Game Boy Color in 1999.
The game is set in Liberty City, a fictionalized version of New York City. The player controls a nameless criminal who must complete a series of missions for various gangs. The game was praised for its open-world gameplay and its satirical take on American culture.
Here is a list of all the Grand Theft Auto games in chronological order:
Grand Theft Auto (1997)
Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 (1999)
Grand Theft Auto: London 1961 (1999)
Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999)
Grand Theft Auto III (2001)
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)
Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009)
Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
Grand Theft Auto Online (2013)
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition (2021)
Was GTA 1 successful?
Yes, Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 1 was a commercial success. It sold over 3 million copies worldwide, which was a lot for a video game at the time. It was also praised by critics for its innovative gameplay and its satirical take on American culture.
GTA 1 was groundbreaking for its time. It was one of the first video games to offer a truly open-world experience, where players could explore a large city and do whatever they wanted.
The game also featured a number of innovative features, such as a dynamic traffic system and a police AI that would chase the player if they committed crimes.
GTA 1 was not without its flaws. The graphics were dated, and the controls were clunky. However, the game’s innovative gameplay and its satirical take on American culture made it a commercial success.
It is considered to be one of the most influential video games of all time, and it helped to pave the way for the later games in the series.
Here are some of the things that made GTA 1 successful:
Its open-world gameplay, which allowed players to explore a large city and do whatever they wanted.
Its innovative features, such as a dynamic traffic system and a police AI that would chase the player if they committed crimes.
Its satirical take on American culture.
Its critical acclaim, which helped to generate buzz and attract new players.
Overall, GTA 1 was a successful game that helped to establish the Grand Theft Auto series as one of the most popular and critically acclaimed video game franchises of all time.
When did GTA 2 come out?
Grand Theft Auto 2 was released on October 22, 1999, for Microsoft Windows and the PlayStation, and the Dreamcast and Game Boy Color in 2000. It is the sequel to 1997’s Grand Theft Auto, and the second main instalment of the Grand Theft Auto series.
The game is set in Anywhere City, a fictionalized version of a modern metropolis. The player controls Claude Speed, a criminal who must complete a series of missions for various gangs. The game was praised for its improved graphics and gameplay, as well as its satirical take on American culture.
GTA 2 was a commercial success, selling over 6 million copies worldwide. It is considered to be one of the best games of the 1990s, and it helped to solidify the Grand Theft Auto series as one of the most popular and critically acclaimed video game franchises of all time.
Here are some of the new features that were introduced in GTA 2:
A 3D isometric perspective, as opposed to the top-down perspective of the original Grand Theft Auto.
Improved graphics and animation.
A wider variety of vehicles and weapons.
A more complex and challenging mission structure.
A more satirical take on American culture.
GTA 2 was a significant improvement over the original Grand Theft Auto, and it helped to set the standard for the later games in the series. It is a classic game that is still worth playing today.
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