1997
Grand Theft Auto
Where it all began
The project that became Grand Theft Auto began life as an isometric fighting simulator similar to Syndicate Wars. Too similar, in fact. When Bullfrog made its sci-fi sequel public, GTA’s Scottish developer DMA Design changed trajectory, coming up with a plan for a top-down vehicle game called Race ‘n’ Chase.
Race ‘n’ Chase’s design document describes it as “a fun, addictive and fast multiplayer car racing and crashing game”. But the defining lines in the document have little to do with racing. “It will also be possible for players to get out of their car and steal another one,” the document reads. “This will mean controlling a vulnerable pedestrian for a short time. Trying to steal a car may result in an alarm being set off which will, of course, attract the police.” Grand Theft Auto’s top-down blend of 2D sprites and 3D buildings was cutting edge when development started in 1995. But by the time it released in November 1997, the game was visually outdated. Combined with awkward controls, reviews of the game were decidedly mixed. Even DMA’s own developers thought the project was unlikely to succeed, with former DMA dev Colin MacDonald admitting there “wasn’t a lot of confidence” in the game.
But Grand Theft Auto had something that precious few games did in 1997 – a sense of freedom. Yes, you could progress through the game’s linear sequence of missions. But you could also make money by stealing cars and selling them at the local docks, run over pedestrians just for the hell of it, and lead the police on a merry chase. This freedom shone through the game’s rough visuals and controls, propelling Grand Theft Auto to commercial success.
