Which Grand Theft Auto game was the first to feature online multiplayer?

The first Grand Theft Auto game to feature online multiplayer was Grand Theft Auto IV.

Released in 2008, Grand Theft Auto IV integrated online play directly into its Liberty City world. Players could join competitive and cooperative modes, including races, team deathmatches, and free-roam sessions that let them explore the map together.

The console versions supported up to 16 players, while the Windows version supported up to 32. Multiplayer was designed as an extension of the single-player experience rather than as a separate persistent world, and Rockstar described its development as one of the project’s most difficult technical challenges.

Earlier games had limited local multiplayer or fan-made online modifications, especially around San Andreas and older PC releases. Those features are why GTA IV is sometimes overlooked, but it was the first main entry with official, integrated online multiplayer. Grand Theft Auto Online later expanded the idea dramatically with GTA V.