From police chases to criminal empires: the evolution of Grand Theft Auto

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Originally conceived as a game where players played as police officers, Grand Theft Auto took a radical turn when developers realized it was far more entertaining to be the criminal. This shift in perspective helped create one of the most successful and controversial video game franchises in history.

Work on the initial 1997 game commenced at Dundee's DMA Design on 4 April 1995. Initially titled 'Race 'n' Chase', the concept focused on a police officer pursuing criminals. However, the team found the concept dull, leading to the decision to let players act as criminals instead. This pivot toward freedom and chaos became a hallmark of the series.

The game's narrative is set across three fictional American cities, each inspired by a real-world location. Players navigate Liberty City, a version of New York City; San Andreas, based on San Francisco; and Vice City, inspired by Miami. The gameplay is presented from a top-down perspective, requiring players to amass millions of points through missions to progress through the six levels.

The series' success was bolstered by a marketing strategy that exploited the controversy surrounding its violent content. While the original received mixed reviews regarding its graphics and controls, its entertainment value and freedom were highly praised. This success paved the way for the franchise to become one of the best-selling video game series of all time.

The complexity of the original's development is highlighted by the fact that it was nearly halted multiple times. Despite these challenges, the game was released in late 1997 for MS-DOS and Windows, with a PlayStation port following in December. By 1999, the franchise had expanded with Grand Theft Auto 2 and two expansions set in 1960s England.

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