Grand Theft Auto III (also shortened into GTA III or GTA 3) is a 2001 action-adventure videogame developed by Rockstar North (then known as DMA Design) and published by Rockstar Games. It was originally released for the PlayStation 2 console, but also saw ports for the PC and Xbox. It is the third main game of the Grand Theft Auto series and the fifth overall installment. Set in the fictional Liberty City in 2001, Grand Theft Auto III begins a new continuity separated from its predecessors. The game's narrative follows the adventures of Claude, a silent criminal who was betrayed by his girlfriend Catalina during a bank heist. Claude begins to work for different factions in the crime-riddled Liberty City, including the Mafia, Yakuza and corrupted figures. Set in an open-world environment, Grand Theft Auto III is the first game in the series to be presented in a fully 3D world, shifting away from the top-down perspective that characterized previous games in the franchise. Development was handled by DMA Design, and it was the final game developed by the company before its rename into Rockstar North. Grand Theft Auto III was universally acclaimed upon its release in October 2001. Critics praised the game for its presentation, game design, freedom, sound design and ambition, though it was a subject of controversy due to its violent nature. Multiple publications deemed it a revolutionary title for its advancements in game design and open-ended gameplay, and it was awarded a variety of end-year accolades. A commercial success, GTA 3 sold over 14 million copies. In 2011, the game was re-released on iOS and Android devices for its 10-year anniversary under the title Grand Theft Auto III: 10 Year Anniversary Edition. It was met with positive responses, with gaming publications praising its visuals, though criticism was directed at the port's controls. On November 11, 2021, the game was re-released on 8th and 9th generation consoles for its 20-year anniversary under the title Grand Theft Auto III - The Definitive Edition, included in the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition bundle.
