Grand Theft Auto, video game created by the American company Rockstar Games and published in 1997 and 1998 by the American Softworks Corporation (ASC Games) for play on video game consoles and personal computers. After an immensely popular debut, Grand Theft Auto went on to generate multiple sequels and expansions, including Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002), Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004), and the critically lauded Grand Theft Auto IV (2008).
In the Grand Theft Auto series, gamers control criminals and attempt to increase their standing by completing missions in various virtual cities. The first game of the series offered a simple bird’s-eye perspective of the landscape from which the gamer could view and engage in carjacking, robberies, gun fights, and other forms of delinquency. Approaching a vehicle and removing the driver allows the player to take control of the vehicle, change the radio stations, and wreak as much havoc as necessary to complete the objectives. Later games in the series offered improved graphics and different modes of play. Strategically placed video clips develop the story line, giving each title its own distinct narrative and characters. The ability to move about the cities freely—combined with intricate and challenging levels—made Grand Theft Auto one of the most innovative and popular gaming titles of the late 1990s.
David Jones, the Scottish designer of Grand Theft Auto, also designed the successful Lemmings video game series in 1991, and his decision to help create the long-running Grand Theft Auto series proved financially wise, considering its tremendous popularity among many gamers. Grand Theft Auto’s unique style and appealing game play helped convince celebrities such as singer Phil Collins and actors Burt Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson to provide voice cameos for the game.