HD Universe

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Notes: Addition of more content. (there are many more differences than these listed)

The HD Universe is the third and current canonical universe of Grand Theft Auto series, after the 2D Universe and the 3D Universe. It is named for the high-definition 3D graphics introduced in it. The generation comprising the games set in HD Universe is the HD era, previously known as GTA IV era.

The HD universe started out in 2008 with the release of Grand Theft Auto IV. The game was followed by two DLC packs called The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, both of which occur at the same time as GTA IV. In 2009, Rockstar released Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, a game for mobile platforms set one year after GTA IV with a stand-alone story. The generation was known as the GTA IV era until the announcement of Grand Theft Auto V in 2011, which revealed that games within the series are set in different universes based on their graphics (2D, 3D and HD), contrary to the previous belief that each numbered title started a new era.

The HD Universe is mainly set in the city of Liberty City and the southern part of the state of San Andreas, both located in the United States of America. Widely detailed, its locations are much more similar to their real-life counterparts than those of the previous universes. Its protagonists are Niko Bellic, Johnny Klebitz, Huang Lee, Luis Fernando Lopez, Michael De Santa, Trevor Philips, Franklin Clinton and the GTA Online Protagonist.

Grand Theft Auto Online has also implied a connection between the HD Universe and the Red Dead series, more specifically with Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead Online. The State of New Austin is mentioned in the Further Adventures in Finance and Felony update. D. D. Packenbush Repeating Arms Co., a weapons manufacturer in Red Dead Redemption 2, made its first appearance in GTA Online during the Treasure Hunt mission as part of The Doomsday Heist update. Later in The Cayo Perico Heist update, multiple factors hint towards a relation between Juan Strickler and Andreas' family.

Chronological release list

• Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)
• Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned (2009)
• Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009)
• Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony (2009)
• Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
• Grand Theft Auto Online (2013)

Chronological plot list

• Prologue (Grand Theft Auto V) (2004)
• Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)
• Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned (2008)
• Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony (2008)
• Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009)
• Grand Theft Auto Online (2013)
  • GTA Online: Heists (2013)
  • GTA Online: Lowriders (2013)
  • GTA Online: Executives and Other Criminals (2013)
  • GTA Online: Further Adventures in Finance and Felony (2013)
  • GTA Online: Bikers (2013)
  • GTA Online: Import/Export (2013)
• Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
• Grand Theft Auto Online - Enhanced Version (2017–present)
  • GTA Online: Gunrunning (2017)
  • GTA Online: Smuggler's Run (2017)
  • GTA Online: The Doomsday Heist (2017)
  • GTA Online: Southern San Andreas Super Sport Series (2018)
  • GTA Online: After Hours (2018)
  • GTA Online: Arena War (2018–2019)
  • GTA Online: The Diamond Casino & Resort (2019)
  • GTA Online: The Diamond Casino Heist (2019–2020)
  • GTA Online: Los Santos Summer Special (2020)
  • GTA Online: The Cayo Perico Heist (2020–2021)

Games in the HD Universe

Grand Theft Auto IV

Grand Theft Auto IV (2008) is set in Liberty City in 2008. It was the first GTA game to be released simultaneously for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles, and was released on 29 April 2008. In August 2008, Rockstar announced that a PC version of GTA IV would be released later in the year, and the PC version was released on 3 December 2008. The game engine in GTA IV is the Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (also known as RAGE) used in Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis and the Euphoria physics engine. The game takes place in a redesigned Liberty City, which bears a much closer resemblance to New York City than its 3D counterparts. The protagonist is Niko Bellic, a 30-year-old Yugoslavian war veteran.

Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned

The Lost and Damned (2009) is the first of the two episodes for GTA IV. The DLC version of TLAD requires the original GTA IV to play and is also available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. It is included in Episodes from Liberty City, which does not require GTA IV. TLAD's storyline runs alongside the main GTA IV storyline and ties in with the main story on a number of occasions. The protagonist is Johnny Klebitz, the 34-year-old Vice President of the Alderney Chapter of The Lost Motorcycle Club.

Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony

The Ballad of Gay Tony (2009) is the second episode released for GTA IV. Like TLAD, the DLC version requires the original GTA IV to play, but it is also included in the standalone Episodes From Liberty City. TBoGT's storyline also ties in with both the main GTA IV storyline and TLaD's storyline. The protagonist is Luis Fernando Lopez, the 25-year-old personal bodyguard of Anthony Prince.

This is the final game of the GTA IV trilogy.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009) is set in Liberty City based on the GTA IV rendition, in the year 2009. It is the first Grand Theft Auto game to be released on the Nintendo DS, and was announced at the E3 Nintendo Press Conference on July 15, 2008. This game has several new features, such as touch screen mini-games. It is also available on the Sony PSP and Apple iPhone/iPod Touch. The PSP version features drastically improved graphics.

The game focuses on the Liberty City Triads, and protagonist Huang Lee, the 26-year-old nephew of Lee Family head Wu Lee. The State of Alderney does not appear in the game, and the game's storyline does not intertwine with those of GTA IV or its episodes and is not part of the connecting trilogy.

Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V (2013) is set in southern San Andreas. It is the first game in the HD Universe not to be set in Liberty City. For the first time in a single Grand Theft Auto game, Grand Theft Auto V features three protagonists: Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton, and Trevor Philips. GTA V was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on 17 September 2013. An enhanced version was released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 18 November 2014, and for the PC on 14 April 2015.

Grand Theft Auto Online

Grand Theft Auto Online is set in southern San Andreas and the island of Cayo Perico in Colombia. The game's storyline originally took place several months before the Grand Theft Auto V storyline. However, as the game released updates, the game's setting advanced in real-life timing, with characters later mentioning past events that took place in GTA V.

The game is included on the original retail versions of GTA V and was released on 1 October 2013, two weeks after GTA V, however, it can purchased separately as of 2021. For the first time in the series, GTA Online allows the player to create their own playable protagonist. Although it is only playable through Grand Theft Auto V and is the multiplayer version of the game, Grand Theft Auto Online is considered a standalone title by Rockstar Games and is treated as such, and the storyline does not intertwine with the Grand Theft Auto V storyline, other than as mentioned above.

Locations in the HD Universe

State of Liberty

• Liberty City
• The Caraways (Mentioned)
• Upstate Liberty (Mentioned)

State of Alderney

• Alderney City
• Westdyke
• Leftwood
• Berchem
• Acter
• Normandy
• Tudor
• Port Tudor
• Acter Industrial Park

State of San Andreas

• Los Santos
• Los Santos County
• Blaine County
• Red County (Mentioned)
• Flint County (Mentioned)
• San Fierro (Mentioned)
• Bone County (Mentioned)
• Las Venturas (Mentioned)

State of Florida

• Vice City (Mentioned)

State of North Yankton

• Ludendorff

Colombia

• Cayo Perico

Mentioned

• Bullworth
• Carcer City
• Cottonmouth
• Capital City
• New Austin
• Other mentioned locations (Real-life locations)

Differences to the 3D Universe

• Graphics were largely improved due to the release of the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Increased draw distance, and changes to color schemes, reflections, shadowing and quality.
• Cities such as Liberty City and Los Santos resemble their real life counterparts more than their 3D Universe counterparts and for instance, Liberty City in Grand Theft Auto III and Liberty City Stories lack major landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, Grand Central Station, Brooklyn Bridge and the Empire State Building. However, they were present in the HD Universe rendition as the Statue of Happiness, Grand Easton Terminal, the Broker Bridge and Rotterdam Tower respectively.
  • Many districts which weren't present in the 3D Universe counterpart such as Harlem, Queens, The Bronx and New Jersey were also added.
• Vehicle Brands and Vehicle Classes were added, and detail was added to interiors of vehicles, as were logo and name badges.
• The player still had cell phones, and the phone's usage was expanded beyond simply receiving calls, as the player could now change the ringtones, backgrounds and receive text messages.
• In GTA IV (PS3 only) the player can launch the Six Axis Tutorial. This allows them to practice movement involving moving the controller whilst on bikes, reloading weapons, steering boat and controlling helicopters.
• In The Ballad of Gay Tony, the player can replay missions through the phone.
• In GTA IV, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, the player can begin multiplayer sessions.
• Mission cutscenes were expanded greatly, and in Grand Theft Auto V and Online, different jobs can be done within missions, such as hacking a terminal to unlock it.
• In GTA IV, using a Pay'n'Spray would now advance the time by three hours.
  • In GTA V, Pay 'n' Sprays were replaced by Los Santos Customs garages, which are much more advanced, and allow the player to manually customize their car to how they want.
• In GTA V, animals, such as dogs, sharks, cougars, deer and coyotes are introduced for the first time, but aren't featured in Online.
  • In the enhanced version of GTA V, new species of wildlife have been added, such as Hammerhead Sharks, Cats, and new dog breeds.
• Police departments also have more than one patrol vehicle as opposed to the 3D Universe. In GTA IV, there were two, a Police Cruiser (based on the Ford Crown Victoria) and a Police Patrol vehicle (based on the Chevrolet Impala). In TBoGT's multiplayer, three new vehicles were added, including a Police Stinger, a Police Buffalo (based on a Dodge Charger) and a Police Bike. In GTA V, a new high performance Cruiser vehicle replaced the Impala from IV and a newer Crown Victoria replaced GTA IV model, and the Charger and bike returned from TBOGT 's multiplayer.
• Local law enforcement agencies do not conduct their own tactical operations, unlike the 3D Universe. Tactical operations are instead delegated to the National Office of Security Enforcement, an HD Universe analogue for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Trivia

• All of the protagonists can swim.
• In all HD Universe games, the car engine sounds seems to be derived from the Midnight Club series, another Rockstar game.
• Cars no longer explode after being rolled over, except in GTA Chinatown Wars as that game has similar elements to the 3D Universe.
• The HD Universe is the best-selling era of the GTA series, with over 225 million copies of its installments sold, with GTA V alone selling over 140 million copies.
• In the HD Universe, particularly GTA IV and GTA V, firing rockets, especially from armed helicopters, will make the screen-edge flash slightly, as an extra special-effect. 

See also

• Timeline (HD Universe)
• Tallest Buildings in HD Universe
• Character Deaths (HD Universe)
• 3D Universe
• 2D Universe
• Universe