Liberty City is Grand Theft Auto's recurring New York-inspired city, with separate versions in the series' 2D, 3D and HD Universes. It debuted in the original Grand Theft Auto, became the open world of Grand Theft Auto III and was rebuilt for Grand Theft Auto IV. These versions share a name, New York influence and hard-edged criminal character, but they do not share one continuous geography or history. 1 5

Description

Every version of Liberty City reworks New York rather than reproducing it exactly. The original game's top-down city uses a compact street grid divided into named neighborhoods. The 3D-universe city is built around Portland, Staunton Island and Shoreside Vale, three districts connected by bridges and tunnels. 2

Grand Theft Auto IV introduces a separate HD-universe city. Its four boroughs have distinct identities, from Algonquin's towers and nightlife to the industrial streets of Broker, Dukes and Bohan. Alderney sits across the river as a neighboring state rather than a Liberty City borough. Islands, bridges, dense neighborhoods and the Statue of Happiness give this version its own interpretation of New York. 5 6

History

2D Universe

The first Liberty City appears in the original Grand Theft Auto. It is the opening city in the game's campaign, where the player works for competing criminal organizations before the story moves to San Andreas and Vice City. Its top-down map and neighborhood layout belong only to the 2D universe.

3D Universe

The 3D-universe city anchors Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto Advance and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories. GTA III presents a dark, diverse city whose districts open as Claude moves through its criminal underworld. Advance returns to its streets for a new story, while Liberty City Stories follows Toni Cipriani during a period of political corruption, organized crime, drug trafficking and mafia conflict. 1 3 4

The city also appears briefly in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, but neither game opens the full Liberty City map for exploration.

HD Universe

The HD-universe Liberty City is the setting for Grand Theft Auto IV and its two interwoven episodes, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony. Niko Bellic, Johnny Klebitz and Luis Lopez experience different parts of the same city as their stories cross through its criminal underworld, biker wars and nightlife. 5 7

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars returns to this continuity through Huang Lee's conflict with the city's Triad gangs. Its overhead presentation is different from GTA IV, but the story belongs to the HD-universe version of Liberty City. 8

List of Appearances

References

  1. Grand Theft Auto III, Rockstar Games. Accessed August 12, 2026.

  2. Grand Theft Auto III manual, Rockstar Games. Accessed August 12, 2026.

  3. Grand Theft Auto Advance, Rockstar Games. Accessed August 12, 2026.

  4. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, Rockstar Games. Accessed August 12, 2026.

  5. Grand Theft Auto IV, Rockstar Games. Accessed August 12, 2026.

  6. Grand Theft Auto IV manual, Rockstar Games. Accessed August 12, 2026.

  7. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, Rockstar Games. Accessed August 12, 2026.

  8. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, Rockstar Games. Accessed August 12, 2026.