Grand Theft Auto classics largely inaccessible on PlayStation 5, Polygon says
GG Brief Editorial Desk · AI-assisted, source attributed
Polygon reports that, counting major expansions, the Grand Theft Auto series includes 16 games (soon to be 17) and that 11 of those titles are completely inaccessible on the PlayStation 5. The piece names specific missing entries such as Grand Theft Auto IV; the original Grand Theft Auto and its expansions; Grand Theft Auto 2; Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories; the GTA IV expansions The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony; Grand Theft Auto Advance; and Chinatown Wars. Polygon frames this availability gap as a game preservation problem. The article identifies PlayStation as the platform most closely associated with the franchise while describing the current state of access.
- What happened: Polygon reports that, including major expansions, the Grand Theft Auto series counts 16 titles (soon to be 17) and that 11 of those are completely inaccessible on the PlayStation 5.
- Why it matters: Polygon characterizes this limited availability as a game preservation nightmare for the franchise.
- Context: The inaccessible titles named by Polygon include Grand Theft Auto IV; Grand Theft Auto and its expansions; Grand Theft Auto 2; Liberty City Stories; Vice City Stories; The Lost and the Damned; The Ballad of Gay Tony; Grand Theft Auto Advance; and Chinatown Wars.
- What next: Polygon's report does not provide any confirmed plans, dates, or developer/platform announcements to restore access to these specific titles on current PlayStation hardware.
What changed
Polygon reports that a majority of classic Grand Theft Auto entries are not playable on PlayStation 5, leaving many earlier mainline games, spinoffs, and expansions inaccessible on the current PlayStation platform.
Availability
- Polygon lists a set of specific unavailable entries: Grand Theft Auto IV; the original Grand Theft Auto and its expansions; Grand Theft Auto 2; Liberty City Stories; Vice City Stories; Grand Theft Auto IV expansions The Lost and the Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony; Grand Theft Auto Advance; and Chinatown Wars.
- The article counts 16 Grand Theft Auto titles when including major expansions, with a note that the total is soon to be 17.
Limits
- Polygon frames the situation as a preservation issue but does not report any announced remasters, re-releases, availability dates, or actions from Rockstar or platform holders in the excerpt provided.