The world of video games has been built on rivalries, from Mario vs. Sonic to PlayStation vs. Xbox. But few rivalries have had as profound an impact on the gaming landscape as the competition between Sony’s PlayStation and Microsoft’s Xbox in the early 2000s. In this battle for console supremacy, one of the most surprising and influential moves came from Sony, who struck a deal that would forever change the fate of both Grand Theft Auto and the PlayStation brand.
Let’s rewind to 2001. The Grand Theft Auto franchise was in its early stages of evolution, moving from its top-down 2D roots to fully realized 3D open-world experiences. Meanwhile, Microsoft was preparing to launch its Xbox console, set to challenge Sony’s already dominant PlayStation 2. In this high-stakes moment, Sony’s decision to secure an exclusivity deal with GTA publisher Take-Two would become a game-changer—not just for the Grand Theft Auto franchise, but for the entire console war.
The Strategy Behind the Exclusivity Deal
The Xbox launch in November 2001 posed a real threat to Sony, who had firmly established the PlayStation 2 as the leading gaming console of its generation. While the PS2 had a solid lineup of first-party titles, Sony knew that securing exclusive third-party content was key to maintaining its lead over the Xbox, especially with the Xbox’s impressive hardware and Microsoft’s deep pockets.
Chris Deering, former PlayStation Europe boss, recently opened up about Sony’s response to the Xbox threat. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Deering admitted that Sony was worried about Microsoft’s console launch, which was just around the corner. To bolster the PlayStation 2’s appeal, Sony launched an aggressive strategy: approaching third-party developers and publishers to offer them special deals to keep their upcoming next-gen games exclusive to PlayStation for a limited time.
“We were worried when we saw Xbox coming,” Deering explained. “We knew exclusivity was the name of the game in a lot of fields, like Sky TV with sports.” This strategy wasn’t just about securing a few high-profile titles—it was about making sure the PlayStation 2 had games that would give it an edge over the competition.
And that’s where Grand Theft Auto came into play.
The Grand Theft Auto Deal: A Stroke of Luck
At the time, Grand Theft Auto 3 was just one game in a series that was transitioning from a top-down, 2D perspective to a groundbreaking 3D open-world format. It wasn’t clear that GTA 3 was going to become the cultural phenomenon that it eventually did. But Sony, in a stroke of good fortune, was able to secure an exclusivity deal with Take-Two for the next three GTA titles, including GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas.
The deal was not only a major win for Sony but also for Take-Two, who received a discount on the royalties they paid to PlayStation in exchange for the exclusivity. It was a smart, mutually beneficial partnership that would pay off big time in the years to come.
Deering acknowledges the fortuitous timing of this deal: “It was very lucky for us. And actually lucky for them, because they got a discount on the royalty they paid. Those deals aren’t uncommon in industries with platforms, including today with things like social media.”
It was an unexpected collaboration that would shape the future of gaming in ways no one could have predicted.
The Impact of the Exclusivity on PlayStation 2 Sales
The Grand Theft Auto exclusivity deal proved to be a massive success for Sony. When GTA 3 launched as a PS2 exclusive in October 2001—just a month before the Xbox hit the market—it set the stage for the PlayStation 2 to dominate the console generation. The game’s revolutionary open-world design and mature content resonated with a broad audience, quickly becoming one of the most talked-about titles of the year.
But the true impact came with the next two entries in the series. Vice City hit PlayStation 2 in October 2002, and San Andreas followed in 2004. These two sequels became some of the best-selling games of all time on the PlayStation 2. In fact, San Andreas would go on to become the best-selling PS2 game of all time, with Vice City and GTA 3 also claiming spots near the top of the sales charts.
The GTA games quickly became synonymous with PlayStation, driving massive hardware sales and cementing the PS2 as the definitive console of its era. Sony had not only won the console war in terms of sales, but it had also successfully aligned Grand Theft Auto with its brand, creating a legacy that would last long after the PS2’s lifecycle ended.
The Long-term Effect: PlayStation’s Association with GTA
The Grand Theft Auto exclusivity deal didn’t just help Sony’s PS2—it changed the way people viewed the GTA franchise itself. While GTA 3 and Vice City would eventually make their way to the Xbox in 2003, and San Andreas in 2005, the perception of Grand Theft Auto as a PlayStation-first series remained strong for years to come. This exclusivity period solidified GTA’s identity with Sony, making it one of the most iconic franchises to grace PlayStation consoles.
Even when later entries like GTA 4 and GTA 5 launched on both PlayStation and Xbox, the GTA franchise retained its strong connection to PlayStation. The franchise continued to appear on lists like IGN’s “Top 100 PlayStation Games of All Time,” a testament to the lasting legacy of the exclusivity deal.
While GTA may now be a cross-platform giant, the roots of its success are firmly planted in Sony’s PS2-era exclusivity agreement. The deal helped catapult GTA from a niche series into a mainstream cultural phenomenon, forever associating the franchise with PlayStation.
Looking Toward the Future: What’s Next for GTA 6?
As Grand Theft Auto 6 looms on the horizon, launching in Fall 2025, fans are curious about the future of the franchise. Will we see a return to the PlayStation-first exclusivity deals that defined the PS2 era? So far, it seems unlikely. GTA 6 is set to release on both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S at the same time, marking the first time in the series’ history that it won’t be a console exclusive at launch.
Additionally, no marketing deals have been announced between Sony and Rockstar, which suggests that the tight partnership of the past may no longer be a key component of the franchise’s strategy. That said, GTA 6 is still expected to be a massive event for both PlayStation and Xbox players alike, continuing the legacy of the series while also expanding its cross-platform reach.
Looking back at Sony’s exclusive deal with Grand Theft Auto, it’s clear that the agreement was one of the most impactful moves in the console wars of the early 2000s. By locking down GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas as PlayStation 2 exclusives, Sony not only ensured the PS2’s dominance but also helped establish Grand Theft Auto as one of the most iconic franchises in gaming history. Even as the series continues to evolve, the influence of that exclusivity deal remains a crucial part of GTA‘s story—and PlayStation’s legacy.
