Best GTA Games Ranked: From GTA III to GTA 6
With more than two decades of mainline Grand Theft Auto releases, ranking the series is always going to spark debate. Here’s a breakdown of where each entry generally lands in community consensus — and where GTA 6 is shaping up to fit in.
5. GTA III (2001)
The game that defined the modern open-world genre, GTA III’s biggest legacy is its influence rather than how it plays by today’s standards. Groundbreaking at release, but the most dated to revisit now.
4. GTA IV (2008)
A tonal shift toward grounded, more serious storytelling with Niko Bellic’s arrival in Liberty City. Often underrated at release compared to its predecessor and successor, GTA IV has gained more appreciation over time for its narrative depth and physics-driven gameplay.
3. GTA Vice City (2002)
Still beloved for its atmosphere, soundtrack, and Tommy Vercetti’s story — see our full Vice City retrospective for why it remains a fan favorite more than two decades later.
2. GTA San Andreas (2004)
Widely considered one of the most ambitious open-world games ever made at the time of release, San Andreas expanded the map dramatically and added RPG-style progression systems years ahead of its time.
1. GTA V (2013)
The current benchmark for the series, GTA V’s three-protagonist structure, massive open world, and the ongoing success of GTA Online make it the most commercially and critically successful entry to date. See our GTA 6 vs GTA 5 comparison for how the upcoming title stacks up against it directly.
Where Will GTA 6 Land?
Based on confirmed features alone — the return to Vice City, dual protagonists Jason and Lucia, reworked combat, and the largest map in series history (see our complete feature checklist) — GTA 6 has the ingredients to top this list. Of course, that’s a prediction, not a confirmed outcome, and won’t be settled until the game actually launches on November 19, 2026.
Quick Facts Recap
- Widely considered the best so far: GTA V (2013)
- Most influential historically: GTA III (2001)
- Biggest wildcard: GTA 6 — releasing November 19, 2026