GTA: 6 Surprising Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About the Franchise

In its 27 years of existence, GTA has achieved global fame. From the very first game released in 1997 to the impending arrival of GTA 6, which is sure to mark a new chapter in the gaming ecosystem, Rockstar’s flagship franchise has a rich history. From scandals to records, along with astonishing statistics, here are five anecdotes surrounding this iconic franchise.

6. THE GAME WAS BORN FROM A BUG
GTA might not be the hit it is today without a little game called Race ‘N Chase. Developed by DMA Design, the studio that would later become Rockstar, Race ‘N Chase was intended as a racing game that emphasized a chase system. In essence, you played as a bank robber being pursued by the police. However, a significant bug caused the AI to constantly push the player off the road. Instead of trying to fix it and continue developing the game, the developers decided to have fun with it. “This bug was modified at first, but eventually, it remained largely unchanged because suddenly, the game became much more fun and dramatic. The police really pursue you, and they almost go crazy trying to catch you,” said Gary Penn, the creative director at DMA Design. “Suddenly, the game was no longer based on specific missions but rather on the player’s ability to do whatever they wanted while annoying the police.” This newfound freedom gave birth to the concept of GTA, which has sold millions of copies worldwide.

5. ROCKSTAR PAID FOR BAD REVIEWS
Today, GTA stands as one of the most popular and thriving franchises in the gaming world (GTA V is the second best-selling game in the world, with over 190 million copies sold). However, at the time of the first GTA’s release in 1997, Rockstar North, then known as DMA Design, had everything to prove. To develop the marketing for their game, the company made the clever decision to hire a public relations expert named Max Clifford. He adopted the strategy of paying conservative journalists to publish negative reviews of the game, focusing on its violence and immoral aspects. The ability to run over pedestrians or commit armed robberies for rewards quickly sparked controversy in the media, while simultaneously generating enormous publicity for the game. It was a bold but rewarding strategy.

4. LEGAL SUITS AGAINST THE FRANCHISE TOTAL OVER ONE BILLION DOLLARS
GTA is perhaps one of the franchises that has faced the most legal challenges. Alarmingly, it has accumulated over one billion dollars in lawsuits. Most of these were led by attorney Jack Thompson, who once referred to GTA as a “cop-killing simulator” and filed a litany of lawsuits on behalf of families who lost loved ones “because of the game.” For example, there was a $246 million lawsuit filed ten years ago after two teenagers killed two other drivers. Thompson was also involved in a similar case in 2005 in Alabama, concerning Devin Moore, a teenager who killed two police officers, allegedly inspired by a mission from Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Unfortunately for Thompson, all these attempts proved fruitless. Rockstar and its army of lawyers have always emerged victorious. Among the most famous lawsuits against the firm was one initiated by Lindsay Lohan, who sued the company, claiming that the character Lacey Jonas in GTA V was a direct copy of her. Another lawsuit came from Ferrari, which was displeased to see a red sports car resembling its models appear in Grand Theft Auto IV as the Turismo. As has often been the case, Rockstar and publisher Take-Two emerged victorious from both lawsuits.

3. GTA V COST MORE THAN THIS BLOCKBUSTER
In the age of AAA and soon AAAA games, it’s not uncommon for the development costs of some games to far exceed those of blockbuster films. GTA V remains among the most expensive games in history. With a budget of $137 million, it surpassed Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, a spin-off of the Alien saga, which cost $130 million to produce. It has since been overtaken by Red Dead Redemption 2 and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and its successor, GTA 6, is set to become the most expensive game of all time, with a budget expected to exceed one billion dollars.

2. GTA III COMPLETED IN LESS THAN AN HOUR
Although not among the most popular franchises for speedrunning, GTA still attracts top players who manage to complete their adventures in impressive times. While the record for GTA V stands at 9 hours, 49 minutes, and 42 seconds, one player, known as “guywith,” finished GTA III in a perfect time of 59 minutes and 34 seconds. The key factor here lies in mastering driving, cornering, and drifting while anticipating the unpredictable behavior of the AI.

1. THE FRANCHISE’S ASTOUNDING FIGURES
In its 27 years, the GTA franchise has generated monumental figures. With 17 games under its belt, Rockstar has sold 410 million copies, including 190 million for GTA V alone. In fact, it took just three days for Rockstar’s latest title to surpass one billion dollars in revenue in 2013, setting a record as the fastest-selling entertainment product in history, according to its publisher, Take-Two Interactive. Its map is also one of the largest ever created in the history of video games, spanning 75 square kilometers, making it one of the most expansive, with the exception of modern open-world RPGs.

Mohamed SAKHRI
Mohamed SAKHRI

I'm the creator and editor-in-chief of Tech To Geek. Through this little blog, I share with you my passion for technology. I specialize in various operating systems such as Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android, focusing on providing practical and valuable guides.

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