The second game in the series, Grand Theft Auto 2, was developed for Microsoft Windows and Dreamcast and released in the year 1999. Set in the indeterminable future,it featured updated graphics and somewhat different gameplay based upon the player's appeal to various criminal organizations.
GTA III is set in modern Liberty City, a fictional metropolitan city based on New York City. The game follows a nameless criminal who was betrayed by his girlfriend in a bank heist, and is required to work his way up the crime ladder of the city before confronting her. GTA III is composed of elements from driving games and third-person shooters.
The game's concept and gameplay, coupled with the use of a 3D game engine for the first time in the series, contributed to Grand Theft Auto III's positive reception upon its release; it became 2001's top selling video gam and is cited as a landmark in video games for its far-reaching influence within the industry. GTA III's success was a significant factor in the series' subsequent popularity; as of 2008, five GTA prequels set before events in GTA III have been released. GTA III's violent and sexual content has also been the source of public concern and controversy.
A reduced Game Boy Color port was also produced. Unlike the other games of the Grand Theft Auto series, Grand Theft Auto 2 was the only game released in its era of bicentennial gaming. It is also the only game to have a "T" rating for a PlayStation Console. It is also the only sequel to have a digit in the title instead of a Roman numeral.