Quick Answer: Summary of Steps
- Pick the game and your device. Use the table to see what runs where.
- Decide: buy, unlock or subscribe. Trilogy $59.99, a mobile unlock from $4.99, or GTA+ at $7.99 a month.
- Install from the official store. Steam, PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, eShop, App Store or Google Play.
- Sign in with your Rockstar account if using GTA+. Use the account you subscribed with.
- Play, or use original hardware for Vice City Stories. It has no current release.
Prerequisites & Materials Needed
Required tools & items
- A supported device — PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC, iOS or Android
- A Rockstar Games account — needed for PC and GTA+
- iOS 16 or later for the Definitive mobile apps — iOS 13 for LCS and Chinatown Wars, per the App Store
Estimated time
- Preparation: About 5 minutes
- Execution: Depends on download speed
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Check what you already own
Old copies remain playable and may save you money.
- Look in your Steam, Rockstar Games Launcher and App Store purchase history.
- Pro Tip: Original and Definitive versions have separate cheat lists.
How you know it worked: You know which version you will play.
Step 2: Choose buy, unlock or GTA+
The cheapest route depends on how many games you want.
- Compare the table above, then buy, unlock or subscribe at the Rockstar Store.
- Pro Tip: GTA+ on PC needs GTA V Enhanced installed.
How you know it worked: The game shows as owned or included.
Step 3: Install and sign in
GTA+ access is checked against your Rockstar account.
- Download the game, launch it, and sign in when asked.
- Pro Tip: On mobile you get 30 minutes free before you must unlock.
How you know it worked: The game opens past the sign-in or trial screen.
Step 4: Set up controls
Mobile ports default to touch controls.
- Open the game's control settings and pair a controller if your device supports it.
- Pro Tip: Controller support varies by game and device; check the app listing.
How you know it worked: Your controller moves the character.
In brief: The original PC and PS4 versions of GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas were taken off sale in 2021, when Rockstar released GTA: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition. Today you play those three through the Definitive Edition ($59.99 / £59.99 / €59.99 / ₹3,299 on Steam, checked 31 October 2026), through the GTA+ games library on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, or on iOS and Android. The handheld games are mobile-only now: Liberty City Stories ($6.99) and Chinatown Wars ($4.99) are free downloads with a one-time in-app unlock or GTA+ access. Vice City Stories has no current release.
By Tulasiram Pemmadi · NextPlayIntel · Last updated 31 October 2026.
If an original copy is already in your Steam or Rockstar library, it stays playable; you just cannot buy it again. Original and Definitive Edition cheats differ, so check which version you have before using a cheat list.
Every official way to play, by game
Game | Consoles and PC today | Mobile today | |
|---|---|---|---|
GTA III | Definitive Edition (buy, or GTA+ on PS5, Xbox Series X | S, PC) | GTA III – Definitive: free download, $19.99 unlock or GTA+; the original GTA III app is still $4.99 on the US App Store |
GTA: Vice City | Definitive Edition (buy, or GTA+) | GTA: Vice City – Definitive: free download, $19.99 unlock or GTA+ | |
GTA: San Andreas | Definitive Edition (buy, or GTA+) | Original mobile port $6.99 / £6.99 / €7.99 / ₹699 on the App Store; not in GTA+ on mobile | |
GTA: Liberty City Stories | None current (PS3 PS2 Classic and PSP were older digital releases) | Free download, $6.99 one-time unlock, or GTA+ | |
GTA: Vice City Stories | None current (PS3 PS2 Classic and PSP only) | Not released | |
GTA: Chinatown Wars | None current (DS, PSP) | Free download, $4.99 one-time unlock, or GTA+ |
App Store prices and in-app unlock prices were read from Rockstar's US App Store listings on 31 October 2026. Google Play and non-US in-app unlock prices were not checked and are unconfirmed. Each mobile app lets you play for up to 30 minutes free before you buy or sign in with GTA+.
Buy the Definitive Edition or use GTA+?
Route | Cost | What you keep | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
Buy the Definitive Edition | $59.99 / £59.99 / €59.99 / ₹3,299 on Steam; console prices unconfirmed today, see our Trilogy page | All three games, permanently | Highest upfront price |
GTA+ membership | $7.99 / £6.99 a month | Nothing after you cancel | Access ends when you cancel or a game leaves the library (Rockstar gives at least 30 days' notice); PC needs GTA V Enhanced |
Mobile one-time unlock | $19.99 each for III and Vice City Definitive; $6.99 San Andreas; $6.99 LCS; $4.99 Chinatown Wars | The game on that app store account | Touch controls; controller support varies |
If you only want to replay one game, a single mobile unlock or one month of GTA+ is cheaper than the full Trilogy. If you want all three on a console you own, buying the Definitive Edition avoids monthly fees.
Where GTA+ fits
Rockstar's GTA+ page says members can download and play a rotating selection of Rockstar titles for as long as they are included. The Definitive Edition of the trilogy is in the console and PC library. On mobile, Rockstar's own App Store listings for GTA III – Definitive, GTA: Vice City – Definitive, GTA: Liberty City Stories and GTA: Chinatown Wars each say 'GTA+ Members can enjoy unlimited access while subscribed for as long as it is included in GTA+.' San Andreas on mobile has no such line; the Definitive mobile version of San Andreas was a Netflix Games release, and Rockstar Support says GTA III and Vice City left Netflix after 13 December 2024.
Our guide to turning off GTA+ auto-renew explains how to cancel before you are billed again.
Original hardware: Vice City Stories and the PSP and DS games
Vice City Stories is the one classic with no current official release. It came out on PSP and PS2, and later as a PS2 Classic on PS3. A PS4 version was rated in 2017 but never released. If you want to play it legally today, you need a PSP or PS2 copy, or a PS3 that already has the PS2 Classic downloaded. The same applies to the original Liberty City Stories and Chinatown Wars if you prefer them to the mobile ports.
Avoid 'PS5 ISO' and APK downloads offered on social media or video sites: they are pirated copies and are a common way to spread malware.
For players in India
Steam India lists the Trilogy Definitive Edition at ₹3,299 and the App Store lists the original San Andreas mobile port at ₹699 (both 31 October 2026). The Liberty City Stories and Chinatown Wars apps are free to download in India; their INR in-app unlock prices were not shown on the listing and are unconfirmed. GTA+ is billed in your store currency; check the price in the Rockstar Store or your console store before you subscribe.
Still stuck?
If a GTA+ game will not unlock, sign out and back in with the same Rockstar account you subscribed with, then contact Rockstar Support if it still fails. Mobile purchase and refund problems go through Apple or Google, not Rockstar.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Buying an 'original' PC key from a reseller. It may be revoked or region-locked.
- Downloading unofficial APKs or ISOs. They are pirated and can carry malware.
- Forgetting GTA+ renews monthly. You keep paying until you cancel.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still buy original GTA San Andreas on PC?
No. The originals were removed from sale in 2021. Copies already in your library remain playable.
Is the GTA Trilogy in GTA+?
Yes, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC at the time of checking. Rockstar gives at least 30 days' notice before a game leaves.
Is GTA San Andreas in GTA+ on mobile?
Not that we could confirm. Rockstar's mobile listings name GTA+ for III and Vice City Definitive, Liberty City Stories and Chinatown Wars, but not San Andreas.
Can I play GTA Vice City Stories on PS5?
No. It has never been released on PS4 or PS5. You need the PSP or PS2 version, or the PS3 PS2 Classic.
Are the mobile GTA games free?
The downloads are free with a 30-minute trial. After that you pay a one-time unlock or sign in with GTA+.
Do original cheats work in the Definitive Edition?
Mostly, but not every code matches. Use our Trilogy Definitive Edition cheats page for the remaster.
Sources & verification
Sources last verified on . This article covers published information, not hands-on testing.
- Rockstar Store: GTA+ membership
- Steam: GTA The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition
- Rockstar Newswire: LCS and Chinatown Wars added to GTA+
- App Store: GTA III – Definitive (Rockstar)
- App Store: GTA Vice City – Definitive (Rockstar)
- App Store: GTA Liberty City Stories (Rockstar)
- App Store: GTA Chinatown Wars (Rockstar)
- App Store: GTA San Andreas (Rockstar)
- Rockstar Support: Trilogy on Netflix Games FAQ
- Polygon: LCS and VCS as PS2 Classics on PS3 (2013)
- Push Square: why LCS and VCS never reached PS4
Editorial & update notes
New page, 31 Oct 2026. Prices checked on Steam (US, UK, Germany, India storefronts) on 31 October 2026 at about 12:00 IST; console-store prices marked unconfirmed were not re-checked today.
Related devices and next steps
Find a fix by platform · Check GTA platforms and editions
- PlayStation 5 hardware guide
- Xbox Series X hardware guide
- Xbox Series S hardware guide
- Grand Theft Auto III game hub
- GTA Vice City game hub
- GTA San Andreas game hub
- GTA Trilogy – Definitive Edition game hub
- GTA Liberty City Stories game hub
- GTA Vice City Stories game hub
- GTA Chinatown Wars game hub
- How to find and install purchased game DLC
