With the GTA VI hype well and truly upon us, it got us thinking about car designs throughout the GTA games.
The first GTA game arrived in 1997, and since then, it has become one of the most loved game series of all time. As popularity improved, so did the graphics, and thus, so did in-game car design.
In this blog, we'll explore the evolution of car design in the GTA game series and how each game differed. We include:
1997 saw the first instalment of the Grand Theft Auto series, and since then, the game has undergone a serious overhaul. The first two games were played from the top down in an arcade style, which limited the detail and variety of car designs.
Although we could see the colours and standout details of each car, the design as a whole was limited.
Regardless, we can't hold anything against GTA 1 and 2. They were iconic games that set GTA on the path to success.
GTA III was the first game to transition to 3D graphics, and with it, we got more detailed and varied car designs. Thanks to the game being in the third person, designers could properly replicate cars in real life.
Move to 2002, and the iconic Vice City arrived. Set in the 1980s, the game features period-specific vehicles that match its setting, enhancing its atmosphere and playability. The 80s was an era of style and glitz, and vehicles like the Banshee and Stinger perfectly represented this.
San Andreas, which was released in 2004, was built on the foundations established by Vice City. It was the first time a GTA game featured vehicle customisation, which required much better graphics.
If you want to play these three games, Rockstar released GTA: The Trilogy, a remastered version of all three.
Following San Andreas, we had to wait four years until GTA IV. But boy, it was worth it. GTA IV was the first game available on the PS3 and Xbox 360, so the graphics were seriously impressive.
Cars were now in HD, had individual designs, and had their own driving dynamics. There was a significant improvement in car customisation, with so many more options being available.
Moving to 2013, GTA V graced our screens. Undoubtedly the standout game of its generation, GTA V led the way in graphics and still holds its own in 2024. Cars look exactly like their real-life versions and have had big overhauls in physics and driving mechanics.
GTA V also features first-person gameplay, so as a result, the car interiors looked great. Each car had a different interior, and depending on which main story character you were using, there were different things in the car. For example, Trevor's Bodhi was filthy and had chewing gum on the dash, while Franklin's Buffalo S was spotless.
This is the detail that made us love GTA V so much.
We'll have to wait until 2025 to see the car design in GTA VI properly, but from the trailer, it looks fantastic. The trailer could've easily been mistaken for a film, and the cars featured looked brilliant.
Rockstar has done a pretty good job at keeping rumours under lock and key for GTA VI, so we'll have to wait for more information before we can get excited.
For more information on what we want to see in GTA Vi, check out our blog GTA VI: New Car Features We'd Like to See.
Car design in the Grand Theft Auto series has been on a remarkable journey since 1997. The range of technological advancements and subsequent increase in player engagement led GTA to shape the gaming automotive landscape.
It's also had a cultural impact. Gamers who have played the GTA series a lot can now recognise cars in real life thanks to their involvement in GTA, which is just amazing.
We can't wait to see what GTA VI has in store for car design. Roll on 2025.
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