Where does every mainline Grand Theft Auto game take place?
The Grand Theft Auto series is easily one of the most popular game series of all time. Releasing commercial and iconic games like San Andreas, Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto 5, it’s only natural that every game will have to be drastically different from one another to ensure things remain fresh and consistent.
However, while many fans may not know this, most GTA games take place in one of three cities. While graphical enhancements and the like make it so every game’s world looks drastically different from one another, long-time fans will recognize every GTA game’s location with one screenshot.
Today, we thought we’d go through the location of every single Grand Theft Auto game so fans can compare the same cities from different games.
Where does Grand Theft Auto take place?
The original Grand Theft Auto game took place across three cities. Liberty City, Vice City, and San Andreas. The cool thing is that not only did this game kick off the game series we all know and love, but almost every single future game utilizes the same three cities. Even the upcoming GTA 6 that’s one of the most anticipated games of all time takes place in Vice City, so that’s saying something.
Each city has a different environment inspired by real-life locations. Liberty City is essentially New York City with its grid layout and numerous skyscrapers. Vice City showcases the party lifestyle of Miami, including beaches with neon lights. San Andreas is a loose copy of San Francisco, with various hills and landmarks from that area, such as the Golden Gate Bridge.
Where does Grand Theft Auto 2 take place?
The second Grand Theft Auto game was in Anywhere City, a futuristic dystopia. This is the only GTA game to include Anywhere City, and Rockstar hasn’t revisited the area since then.
Anywhere City is divided into three areas. The areas are the industrial zone, the residential area, and downtown. The game doesn’t replicate any real-world city like most other titles do, and the city’s design is chaotic to reflect an exaggerated satirical urban environment.
One of the biggest reasons GTA 2’s city doesn’t make a return in any future game is how different it is. Creating a future dystopian city in 3D would require too much imagination and would eventually set the game too far apart from the realistic and gruesome series we all know and love. While we would like Anywhere City to make a return in a future spin-off title, we’re content with it not being part of any future mainline game.
Where does Grand Theft Auto 3 take place?
Grand Theft Auto 3 reintroduces Liberty City but in a realized 3D environment. As the first 3D GTA game, Rockstar ensured the city is heavily inspired by New York City, and features numerous references and landmarks.
For example, Portland is the GTA version of Brooklyn and Queens, while Shoreside Vale is North Jersey, The Bronx, Staten Island, and Upstate New York. GTA 3 features a gritty art style to reflect the atmosphere of the darker side of New York.
Even though it’s been years since the game came out, most people can still recognize that the game’s world is based on New York City. While most gameplay elements haven’t stood the test of time, it’s nice to see the world Rockstar made still holds up.
Where does Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories take place?
As the name suggests, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories takes place in Liberty City. However, while it takes place in virtually the same world as GTA 3, it’s set multiple years before the third mainline Grand Theft Auto game. Therefore, cars, music, and even buildings look older than in GTA 3.
Where does Grand Theft Auto: Vice City take place?
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City takes place in 1980s Vice City, focusing on Miami’s neon and colorful aesthetic. GTA Vice City’s map is split into different districts, like the beachfront areas in Washington Beach, the colorful streets in Ocean Beach, and the downtown area is full of office buildings and properties.
Vice City’s iconic landmarks include Ocean Drive, the east-most street along Ocean Beach and Washington Beach, featuring brightly lit roads and numerous glowing hotels. Fans agree that Vice City perfectly represents the luxury of 1980s Miami.
Where does Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories take place?
Similar to Grand Theft Auto Vice City, Vice City Stories takes place in the same Miami-based city of Vice City. As a matter of fact, both worlds are virtually identical with little to no difference. Naturally, it helps that Vice City Stories is a direct prequel to Vice City, even if it came out four years later.
Where does Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas take place?
San Andreas is a fictional state in the Grand Theft Auto series that features an open world based on California and Nevada. San Andreas has three cities. The first is Los Santos, modeled after Los Angeles, followed by San Fierro, inspired by San Francisco, and Las Venturas, a recreation of Las Vegas.
Los Santos has a multitude of popular landmarks remade into the GTA world. For example, the Vinewood Sign is the Hollywood Sign, Rodeo Drive is based on Rodeo in Beverly Hills and the Los Santos International Airport replicates the Los Angeles International Airport(LAX).
San Fierro mimics San Francisco’s hilly streets, with famous landmarks such as the Gant Bridge, a replica of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Las Venturas recreates the casino-filled streets of Las Vegas, with a lot of gambling areas. The state features numerous rural areas and small towns between the cities, making everything feel interconnected.
Where does Grand Theft Auto IV take place?
Grand Theft Auto IV revisits Liberty City, but with better detail and realism, thanks to newer generation hardware. GTA IV’s version of Liberty City closely resembles New York City, with its boroughs renamed to match its real-life counterpart. Broker is Brooklyn, Bohan is the Bronx, Algonquin is Manhattan, and Alderney is New Jersey.
Famous landmarks in GTA IV include the Broker Bridge recreates the Brooklyn Bridge. The Rotterdam Tower is modeled after the Empire State Building. The Statue of Happiness is GTA’s satirical version of the Statue of Liberty.
Where does Grand Theft Auto V take place?
Grand Theft Auto V brings back Los Santos while introducing Blaine County. GTA V’s rendition of Los Santos is the most realistic the city has been and features the same famous landmarks as GTA San Andreas, such as the Vinewood Sign.
Blaine Country presents rural and wilderness areas inspired by outer Southern California. The Grand Senora Desert could be influenced by the Sonoran Desert, which the name references. Mount Chiliad could be based on Mount San Jacinto, Mount San Antonio, or San Gorgonio Mountain.
It’s important to note that GTA Online also takes place in the same world as GTA 5. However, it’s unknown whether things will change when GTA 6: Online comes out. Whether Online will see a massive expansion or whether GTA 6’s Online version will be different remains to be seen.
Where will Grand Theft Auto 6 take place?
Those waiting for the anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 to finally come out will likely already know that the game is set to take place in Vice City. However, the Miami-based city isn’t the only place that’ll be included in the game, as GTA 6 is confirmed to also include the entire State of Leonida, which is based in Florida.
Therefore, fans can expect to see multiple beach resorts, amusement parks, and a generally warm and sunny climate. While some iconic locations from Vice City and Vice City stories will likely make a return, the game will also have more things to explore and discover, with a lot never having been seen before.
It’s also unknown what time the game takes place, so it’s hard to determine how advanced the cars will be. However, the usage of social media and other cultural trends in the trailer suggest Grand Theft Auto 6 takes place in the present day, and many cultural jokes are to be expected. Fans will learn more when Rockstar Games releases the next major trailer.
