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Grand Theft Auto is one of the most iconic and well-known titles in video game history and one of the most-played games in the world. 

As an action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North (formerly DMA Design), when it first launched in 1997, GTA took the world by storm, and its success led to the release of seven more titles, with the eighth and the most anticipated instalment of the game set to launch in 2025.

Widely regarded as one of the best open-world games, GTA’s name is a reference to the actual legal term for stealing cars in the United States, which is a solid suggestion of what the game is all about. However, while GTA revolves heavily around committing crimes, it’s more than that.

Grand Theft Auto is an open-world adventure game in which the players control criminals and complete various tasks set in the storyline. 

While each instalment of the game is set in different cities and features different characters, the game's premise is heavily centred on the criminal world and various illegal activities the players have to commit to complete the story.

This has earned GTA a somewhat unenviable tag as a game that is not suitable for kids; however, while the game is rated M (Mature), it’s still primarily played by younger generations.

Whether that’s right or wrong is up to debate, but there are many other games and esports titles that feature violence yet are still played by younger gamers.

GTA started off as a glitched version of another game, which quickly caught on with the players and started one of the most well-known series in the video game world. 

Nowadays, GTA is widely known as one of the best and most-played open-world games, which is set to receive its sixth instalment of the series in 2025.

The first game of the Grand Theft Auto franchise was released on November 29, 1997. Developed by DMA Design and published by BMG Interactive, the original GTA was a 2D entry to the series, initially designed as a cops and robbers game called Race’n’Chase.

However, a glitch in the game caused the cops to chase players aggressively. However, the beta testers liked the glitch so much that it became a game feature. 

While the developers had to rework the game around the glitch, it proved to be one of the best mistakes in video game history.

Following the success of the original GTA game, Grand Theft Auto 2, set in a futuristic city named “Anywhere City”. Released on October 22, 1999, GTA 2 was a multi-platform game playable on Game Boy Colours and Dreamcast.

Like in the first game, the players took control of various criminal activities within the city and completed tasks for criminal organisations, using any means necessary.

The third instalment of the GTA series, Grand Theft Auto III, was also the first 3D entry to the series. Set in the fictional Liberty City (based on New York City), GTA 3 follows a protagonist named Claude.

The story of Claude is about how he was left abandoned during a robbery and after surviving the incident, he embarks on a journey of revenge, which takes him deep into the crime world.

When people think of the most iconic GTA titles, Vice City is generally the first to come to mind. Released in 2002, GTA Vice City set the story in the 1980s and brought many graphical and gameplay improvements compared to its predecessors.

The game follows Tommy Vercetti, who tries to build a drug empire after his release from prison. As it’s become very typical of GTA narratives, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City features a lot of crime, betrayals, gunfire, and anything you would expect to see in the criminal underworld.

The fifth instalment of the GTA series, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, was an absolutely huge game when it was released in 2004. It again added many improvements to graphics and gameplay, but set a different story compared to its predecessors.

The  Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas story proved to be far more extensive than in previous instalments. The game takes place in a fictional city, San Andreas, and follows the story of Carl “CJ” Johnson as he – as previous protagonists – completes various tasks for criminal bosses.

Grand Theft Auto IV was the sixth entry in the GTA series, released in 2008. While the idea of the game hasn’t changed compared to previous titles, GTA IV was the first title in the HD universe, adding significant graphical improvements to the growing franchise.

The game focuses on an Eastern European war veteran, Niko Belic, who comes to Liberty City in pursuit of the American Dream. Widely regarded as one of the best GTA protagonists, Niko Belic remains an iconic figure in the GTA world.

Released in 2013, Grand Theft Auto V is the most advanced and by far the most popular GTA game in the series’ history. Set in San Andreas, GTA 5 follows three different protagonists, each with their own path and journey through the city.

During the story, the lives of the three protagonists, Michael, Trevor, and Franklin, intertwine, creating a new and unique experience for the players to enjoy.

It’s been ten years since the release of Grand Theft Auto V, and while the developers remained fairly quiet about the next game of the series, we (after years of waiting) finally got an answer about when the next Grand Theft Auto game will be released.

As confirmed on Tuesday, December 5, Rockstar Games will release Grand Theft Auto VI in 2025. It promises to be the biggest and best GTA game to date, offering numerous improvements – both graphical and gameplay – to introduce a new and better experience for gamers to enjoy.

While not much is known about GTA 6 yet, we know that it’ll take place in the fictional open-world state of Leonida, which is based on Florida and includes Vice City – a fictional version of Miami.

According to reports, Rockstar Games spent over $2 billion on the development of GTA 6, which is a significant jump from $265 million spent on GTA 5. And if that number is any indication, the next instalment of the series should be the best one yet.

Despite its immense popularity, Grand Theft Auto is not actively involved in the esports scene. That is mainly due to the fact that, unlike League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Rocket League, and other popular esports titles, GTA doesn’t have the same competitive element.

GTA, unlike big esports games, is an open-world adventure game, which leaves very little room for a competitive environment. 

However, there have been community-made competitions for GTA 5 such as racing tournaments – granted, those occurred at a much smaller scale compared to any official esports events.

With the upcoming release of GTA 6, there’s always hope that it might enter the esports scene. However, considering the nature of the game, it’s highly unlikely it’ll ever reach the status of a major esports title. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t have to.