GTA Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories: Are They Canon?
Originally released for the PlayStation Portable, Liberty City Stories (2005) and Vice City Stories (2006) are often left out of “GTA games in order” conversations — but they’re generally treated as canon, not spinoffs in the non-canonical sense.
What Are These Games?
Liberty City Stories serves as a prequel set before GTA III, following Toni Cipriani navigating the Leone crime family. Vice City Stories is set two years before the original Vice City, following Victor Vance building his own criminal empire before his brother Lance’s story in the mainline game.
So Are They Canon?
Yes — both games are generally treated as canon within the “3D Universe” era of GTA continuity (the shared timeline connecting GTA III, Vice City, San Andreas, and their handheld prequels), unlike some other franchise spinoffs. Characters, events, and locations from both handheld titles are referenced within the mainline console games they precede.
Why They’re Often Left Out of Timeline Discussions
Because they were handheld-exclusive at launch (PSP, later ported to PS2), a huge portion of the console-focused fanbase never played them, leading to them being commonly excluded from casual “ranked” or “in order” lists — not because of any canon dispute, but simply due to lower visibility. See our main GTA release timeline for where they’d technically slot in chronologically.
How the “3D Universe” Differs From Later Games
Rockstar has generally treated GTA III, Vice City, San Andreas, and their handheld prequels as one connected continuity (the “3D Universe”), separate from GTA IV and GTA V’s continuity (the “HD Universe”), which don’t share confirmed direct connections to the earlier era.
Where This Leaves GTA 6
Rockstar hasn’t clarified whether GTA 6 exists within the same continuity as GTA IV and V, or represents a fresh continuity of its own — a detail that remains unconfirmed heading into the November 19, 2026 release. See our complete GTA 6 feature checklist for everything else that has been confirmed.
Quick Facts Recap
- Liberty City Stories (2005): Prequel to GTA III, follows Toni Cipriani
- Vice City Stories (2006): Prequel to Vice City, follows Victor Vance
- Canon status: Both considered canon within the “3D Universe” continuity
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GTA 6 coming to PC?
A PC version hasn't been officially confirmed for launch. Rockstar has historically released PC versions of GTA titles roughly a year after console launch.
What new gameplay features does GTA 6 have?
Confirmed and leaked details point to improved AI behavior, more interactive environments, and refined combat/stealth options compared to GTA 5.
Will there be a pre-load option before launch?
Rockstar hasn't confirmed pre-load details yet. Most major open-world titles do offer pre-loading in the days before release, so it's reasonably likely.
Will GTA 6 have multiple cities like GTA 5 did?
Vice City is the confirmed hub, and leaked/official material suggests a broader state with varied areas beyond the city itself, similar in spirit to San Andreas.