Celebrating 18 Years of Grand Theft Auto IV: Why It Remains a Gaming Classic

Since the company's launch, Rockstar Games has released several huge titles, including Manhunt and Bully, as well as the Max Payne and Red Dead Redemption series. Another one of its most celebrated video titles ever, Grand Theft Auto IV, was released 18 years ago today.

Grand Theft Auto IV Debuted on April 29, 2008

Throughout the late '90s and early 2000s, Rockstar Games released the first three Grand Theft Auto games, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Then Grand Theft Auto IV was first released 18 years ago, on April 29, 2008. It debuted on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 throughout North America, Europe, and more. It would be released in Japan on October 30, 2008, and later have PC versions released for Windows.

Why Grand Theft Auto IV Still Holds Up in 2026

If Grand Theft Auto IV were a person, it would be able to vote today. Given that the game has been around long enough to be a legal adult, it wouldn't be surprising if it had aged poorly. In fact, the majority of games diminish so much over time that playing them even a decade later is bound to disappoint. Despite that, Grand Theft Auto IV has managed to continue to be celebrated all these years later.

There are many reasons why Grand Theft Auto IV still holds up in 2026, including the way its city truly feels alive. The physics of the game are also incredible, as anyone who has enjoyed watching its protagonist ragdolling after a crash can attest. Most importantly, the game's story is incredibly compelling, its main character has a shocking level of depth, and even some of its side characters have become iconic.

For those reasons and more, Grand Theft Auto IV has continued to regularly be celebrated. In May 2023, it was included in a GQ list of the 100 greatest video games of all time that was voted on by game developers, directors, and journalists. On top of that, Metacritic has listed it as the third greatest video game ever.

Next: 27 Years Ago Today, Nintendo Released One of the Most Influential Games of All Time

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Apr 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 2:16 PM.