Grand Theft Auto III Launch Campaign

Rockstar Games / 2001

To build excitement around a mature-themed open-world title, our goal was to showcase open-world gameplay and the intricately designed, living, breathing city of Liberty City alongside story elements to support the game’s launch in a way that blurred the line between cinema and video games.

Challenges

  • Limited precedent for open-world 3D storytelling

  • High stakes launch in a crowded release window

  • Overcoming public perception of mature themed, open world content

Approach

  • Captured cinematic in-game screenshots that showed off scale, tone, and interactivity

  • Shaped PR messaging to frame the title as a narrative and technical breakthrough

  • Created visual assets and gameplay clips for retail, press, and digital channels

  • Collaborated closely with developers, artists, and producers to stay aligned on tone and story

  • Emphasized Claude’s story arc without relying on dialogue, focusing on visual storytelling

Illustration by Stephen Bliss

Outcomes

  • #1 best-selling game of 2001

  • Tens of millions of units sold

  • Sparked a global conversation around video game storytelling

  • Set a new industry standard for open-world design and mature narrative

  • Elevated Rockstar Games as a global leader and creative force in gaming

“Grand Theft Auto 3 expands the very idea of what a game has traditionally been.” - IGN.com