Every GTA Ending Ranked From Worst To Best

At the top of our list is the first entry in the series, and it’s not here because it’s a bad game, it's an absolute classic, but in terms of endings, it basically doesn’t have one. The game concludes with the player's criminal protagonist rising through the ranks of the criminal underworld. The ultimate objective is to amass wealth and power by completing a series of increasingly dangerous missions. As players progress, they encounter various criminal factions and rival gangs. The climax of the game is a final mission that, when completed, gives the player a closing cinematic that reflects their character's triumphs and the impact of their criminal exploits on the game world. The ending varies depending on the player's choices and actions throughout the game, adding an element of personalization to the narrative conclusion. GTA1 is more about the journey than the destination.

Moving up the game entry list, and down OUR game ending list, it’s time for Grand Theft Auto II, which actually has a bit more story to it. During the conclusive mission, aptly named "The Final Job," the main character, Claude Speed, has betrayed his former employers and is tasked with eliminating three gang leaders seeking revenge. Set in the Industrial District, this ultimate mission, despite being the finale, features a relatively lower death count compared to other assassination missions across the entire series. Grand Theft Auto II followed a similar ending section to the previous entry with choices made throughout the game affecting the outcome.

By total coincidence, we’ve once again moved to the next entry in the series, Grand Theft Auto III. In Grand Theft Auto III, the game's conclusion centers around a mission called "The Exchange." During "The Exchange," Claude seeks revenge against Catalina, his former girlfriend and partner-in-crime, who betrayed him earlier in the game. After a series of intense events, including a dramatic showdown, Claude manages to eliminate Catalina. The story takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious Colombian Cartel member arrives, leaving Claude in a precarious situation. Claude's fate is left a little uncertain, but the closing scene implies the potential for further adventures, while maintaining an air of mystery around whether Claude is still kicking.

The ‘stories’ games weren’t as accessible for gamers until their much later PS2 releases, so not as many experienced what they had to offer. Those who did got the opportunity to see that they were so much more than just half-assed DLC, even though they were set in identical maps as the full games, they had individual stories that cleverly tied into the originals. In Liberty City Stories, Leone, alongside the game's main character, Toni Cipriani, resolves to achieve peace in their shaky situation. Prior to attending the peace negotiations, Leone and Cipriani confront the mayor, only to find the mayor abducted by Sicilian adversaries. With an epic pursuit and heavy firefight, Leone and Cipriani successfully rescue the mayor. With all threats to Leone's authority neutralized, he negotiates a truce with his uncle. The chilling ending has Leone (not so) discreetly disrespecting his uncle, who quietly remarks, "every dog has his day." And as we know, Leone does have his day at the hands of Claude in GTA III.

We were debating including this entry in the ranking as we didn’t include the other infamous handheld GTA ‘Grand Theft Auto Advanced’, but this game, although less popular than your average GTA game, still included a rich and full world with a heavy story of revenge that matched the stories that had come before it. The climax of GTA: Chinatown Wars, "Salt in the Wound," serves as the resolution to the game's primary mystery. Huang Lee, the protagonist, attends a meeting to uncover the identity of the individual who stole/looted his father's ancestral sword. During the encounter, Huang discovers that his uncle, Wu "Kenny" Lee, murdered his father and took possession of the sword. This revelation sparks a pursuit, culminating in Huang exacting revenge by killing Kenny. Sworn to avenge his father and reclaim the stolen sword, this final mission gives resolution to this tale of revenge, but leaves the player feeling somewhat empty. “Crime doesn’t pay” is a theme that runs throughout most GTA games, but in Chinatown Wars, even though Huang is neither killed nor arrested, the player through the protagonist is left to lament the broken relationships and lost lives made across the game.

The whole story of Vice City is a lot more tied to its original world’s story than Liberty City Stories was tied to Liberty City, and it made the game that much more juicy. The game centers around Victor (a small character from the original Vice City), and towards the end of the game he learns that the antagonistic Mendez brothers abduct Louise, the romantic interest of Victor, and his brother Lance (yes, the same Lance who betrayed Tommy Vercetti in GTA: Vice City). Victor endeavors to rescue both, but only Lance survives, setting the stage for the conclusive mission, "Last Stand." Side note: the death of Louise is easily one of the saddest moments in GTA history. In a dope firefight, Victor eliminates the drug kingpins. Following their demise, Lance offers Victor 20 kilos of cocaine, but Victor refuses. Instead, he sends funds to his younger brother Pete; this decision contributes to Victor's eventual demise in GTA: Vice City. Despite his efforts to lead an upright life, Victor falls victim to retaliation for Lance's recklessness.

Grand Theft Auto 5 features multiple story endings. However, "The Third Way" is widely speculated to be the canonical conclusion. Faced with demands from FIB agents Steve Haines and Dave Norton, Franklin, our first protagonist, is tasked with eliminating Trevor, the second protagonist. Simultaneously, the unscrupulous billionaire Devin Weston orders Franklin to kill Michael, the third protagonist. If Franklin rejects the directives of Weston and the FIB, he opts to save both Trevor and Michael. The trio then collaborates to tie up loose ends, eliminating various former associates and enemies, prominently Devin Weston. Despite elements of betrayal, this ending presents a more positive and comedic finale compared to typical GTA conclusions. It’s also just nice to get out with all our characters in one piece.

Now we’re getting to the classics. Tommy endeavors to supply his relative, Sonny Forelli, with counterfeit money, only for Lance to disclose that he had warned Sonny in advance. This sparks a violent confrontation within Tommy's mansion, culminating in Tommy eliminating both Lance and Sonny. Before he dies, Sonny reveals that he is a major part of the reason Tommy spent 15 years in prison. While regretful about having to kill Lance, Tommy is left flying as a kingpin duo with his lawyer Ken Rosenberg. As Tommy and Ken stand as overlords of Vice City's criminal domain, Tommy remarks, "this could be the beginning of a beautiful business relationship," emphasizing the game's foundational theme that betrayal is an inherent facet of the criminal enterprise in Vice City. Damn, that was a clever sentence. Am I literally smart, you guys? No, I heard someone else say that.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas takes its protagonist through one of the most wild rides in GTA history. From highs to lows, from broken streets, to satin sheets, Carl Johnson pushes through on a tale of betrayal and revenge that never stops thrilling the players. After the relatively early betrayal that sees ex-gang member and dear friend Big Smoke joining forces with antagonist Officer Tenpenny, the game builds to the fight and murder of both of them. The narrative reaches a powerful climax, leading to an intense showdown that stands as one of the most epic moments in the GTA series. CJ confronts Big Smoke amid a riot in Los Santos, adding a dramatic and impactful conclusion to the story.

Let’s finish with the epic conclusion of Grand Theft Auto IV. Niko's cousin, Roman, urges him to embrace Rascalov's proposition and abandon a life of crime. However, seeking guidance, Niko turns to his friend Kate McReary, who advises against trusting Rascalov, because it doesn’t align with his principles or morals. This is where the player can split, giving a pretty significant difference in endings. Opting for the deal, Niko loses Kate’s respect, leading to her absence at Roman's wedding. Subsequently, Rascalov dispatches an assassin to kill Niko, resulting in Roman's tragic demise. Alternatively, choosing revenge sees Kate attending the wedding, only to become the target of mob boss Jimmy Pegorino, who supported Rascalov's deal. Both outcomes unfold as ironic tragedies, adhering to Roman's wishes leading to his death and honoring Kate's resulting in her demise. Regardless of the player's choice, GTA 4's ending remains harsh and somber, aligning with the overarching theme of Niko grappling between personal commitments and the criminal underworld's demands.