On October 22, 2001, Rockstar Games released Grand Theft Auto III, a game that transported the publisher’s trademark criminal mayhem to the unimaginably immersive 3-D Liberty City. GTA III became a best-selling sensation that defined the open-world genre, spawning several sequels, inspiring countless imitators, and causing a cultural uproar. Twenty years later, we’re looking back at its legacy by ranking the best of the GTA’s 3-D offerings, revisiting the moral panic of GTA III, and more. Keep up with all of The Ringer’s coverage below:
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October 22, 2021
How ‘Grand Theft Auto III’ Became Ground Zero for a Moral Panic
Twenty years later, is a similar backlash against a video game even possible?
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October 22, 2021
After ‘Grand Theft Auto III,’ Open-World Games Were Never (and Always) the Same
Twenty years ago, ‘Grand Theft Auto III’ set a new standard for open-world video games. The titles it inspired have grown bigger and busier, but it takes more than massive maps to give gamers the freedom they felt on their first trip to 3-D Liberty City.
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October 22, 2021
Every 3D ‘Grand Theft Auto’ Game, Ranked
In honor of the 20th anniversary of ‘Grand Theft Auto III,’ our staff ranks the 10 3D ‘GTA’ games—and offers a few suggestions for the long-awaited ‘GTA VI.’
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October 22, 2021
How Does ‘Grand Theft Auto III’ Hold Up in 2021?
Twenty years after the release of ‘Grand Theft Auto III,’ an intrepid player travels back in time to experience Rockstar’s open-world opus for the first time