Grand Theft Auto is one of those titles that overshadows the video game industry. People who might have never even touched a controller could very well know about the series. Created by David Jones and Mike Dailly, the action-adventure franchise is usually developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. GTA gained infamy due to its excessive themes and content, which is purposefully done to satirize pop culture and America. Each entry introduces a fictional city based loosely on major areas in the United States, often serving as the hub for rags to riches storyline. For anyone who grew up watching classic gangster flicks like Scarface, Grand Theft Auto offered an opportunity to step into the shoes of someone akin to Tony Montana.

Going back to 1997, which saw the release of Grand Theft Auto on the PlayStation 1, Rockstar’s chaotic series has taken the public by storm. With five main games and a bunch of spin-offs, there is a slew of interesting tidbits and secrets associated with the series. Rockstar Games is known for inserting quirky easter eggs and hidden locations in their open worlds in order to motivate players to explore. With so much content and controversy surrounding the series, there should be more than a few skeletons to dig out.

While this article will not focus too much on references made within the GTA universe, let us get things underway with 30 shocking facts you might have missed.

30 Grand Theft Auto Was A Mistake

One of the biggest franchises of all time was never meant to be. Originally, DMA Design - which later evolved into Rockstar North - were working on Race ’n’ Chase, a cops and robbers open world game which allowed players to select their preferred role. It shared a lot of similarities to the first two Grand Theft Auto titles, with a top-down perspective and multiple cities, but was considerably less violent. A glitch saw the police officers actively run down the criminals rather than just arrest them. This moment of accidental madness ended inspiring the developers and the title eventually evolved into GTA.

29 GTA V Dwarfs Manhattan

Prior to the full release of the massive fifth entry, a leak of the game’s map quickly took the internet by storm. Grand Theft Auto was never a slouch when it came to size, but V’s Los Santos took things to a whole new level. It was not only a huge improvement over older sandboxes like Liberty City but stood toe to toe with quite a few real-life locations. Los Santos is bigger than Manhattan, and just the fact that a map of a game’s world can be compared to areas like London and Toronto is incredible. Remember, GTA V was released for the last generation, so who knows how impressive Rockstar’s next city is set to be. Eventually, we might start comparing maps to countries instead of cities.

28 Size Does Not Always Matter

If there is anything that 90s sitcoms have taught us, it would be that size does not matter. Despite how huge of a game it is, Grand Theft Auto V can be beaten in under seven hours without skipping large quantities of the experience using an in-game glitch. Speedrun.com is a site where players can upload videos of their playthroughs to have their times included in a leaderboard, with the top four times in GTA V all being under seven hours. The shortest playthrough saw the completion of 54 story missions, saw this was not a case of bypassing most of the plot to get to the end. The series is not really about the story, as most of the fun is found in the side missions, but who knew it could be completed in an afternoon?

27 There Is No Such Thing As Bad Publicity

Actually, bad publicity can definitely hurt a product, but Rockstar played the game to perfection. In the lead-up to the release of the original Grand Theft Auto, the company brought on PR guru Max Clifford to spark up some controversy. Clifford was known for manipulating the media and tabloids to create buzz around his clients, with his most infamous creation being the “Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster” headline in the mid-80s. For those who were not around during the launch of the first game, there was a pretty huge outcry from the media, lambasting the new IP due to its outrageous depiction of violence. Seemingly overnight, GTA transformed into the most talked about property within the gaming industry.

26 Grand Theft Auto 64

No, the title is not referring to a spin-off game set in the roaring 60s, but a port of the original GTA for the Nintendo 64 which never saw the light of day. The first entry was only released for the original PlayStation, but an N64 version was in development to capitalize on the IP’s success. Unfortunately, it never materialized, and all we ever got was the announcement of its existence. With no screenshots or videos available, the only information known is that this edition included enhanced graphics, new levels, and new characteristics. As Grand Theft Auto and Nintendo have largely never crossed paths, it could be that the more family oriented company just did not want to be associated with the series.

25 Fan Involvement

Radio stations are a big part of what makes the franchise great, as they help set the tone and add a sense of realism. GTA IV included a talk radio station called “WKTT Talk Radio,” which featured phone calls from citizens complaining about Liberty City or America in general. Wanting to get fans involved, prior to the game’s release, Rockstar Games set up a site dedicated to the station and advised fans to call a New York-based number to leave a message. The best entries made it into the final product, with some of the phone calls heard during GTA IV coming directly from the community.

24 GTA III Was Changed In Response To 2001 Attacks

This entry comes directly from the horse’s mouth, as Rockstar themselves explained how GTA III was impacted by the tragic events of 9/11. As it was released less than 45 days letter, there was only so much that could actually be done. The developer confirmed that a single mission which referenced terrorists was removed and a few cosmetic aspects were changed. The biggest update was actually the game’s cover, which is different for the US and European versions. Rockstar thought it was too raw after 9/11, and the new style eventually becoming the standard for future releases. We aren’t complaining — it’s definitely the better look.

23 Vice City’s Auntie Poulet Is Based On Miss Cleo

The leader of the Haitian Gang, Auntie Poulet hands out a few missions to Tommy and is one of the main antagonists in Vice City. Voiced by Youree Dell Cleomili Harris, the character possessed a fair amount of similarities to her Miss Cleo persona. From 1997 to 2003, Harris was the face of a psychic pay-per-call service on the Psychic Readers Network. The character was the subject of controversy, with the Network facing more than a few lawsuits. Earlier this year, after 15 years, the Psychic Readers Network sued Rockstar Games for the use of her image and accent in Vice City. Obviously, the game developer plans to fight their allegations.

22 Cut Heist Mission With Clowns And Mimes

With so much content and missions in GTA V, it is a wonder that anything was cut, especially full quests. “The Sharmoota Job” saw Trevor and Michael attempt to rob a mansion owned by Martin Madrazo. Taking place in multiple stages, the highlight of this early beta heist included Michael and Trevor having to dress up as mime artists to enter the house during a party. Alternatively, the two could pretend to be clowns instead of mimes, making for a pretty humorous situation. As this heist only appeared in the original beta, it was eventually cut before the release of the full game. Same elements, like kidnapping Martin’s wife, are kept as part of the story but happen in a different way.

21 Dedication To The Cause

While the name Steven Ogg, Shawn Fonteno, and Ned Luke might not mean all that much to you, they are the voice and faces behind the three protagonists in GTA V. During an interview with GQ.com, the trio went into detail on the process of transforming into their characters, revealing it took three years of hard work to bring Trevor, Michael, and Franklin to life. Ned Luke even put on an extra 25 pounds to really get into Michael’s skin. These roles are not just voice acting, as they stepped into their motion capture suits daily and gave their all. There is even a rumor that Steven Ogg recorded some of his lines in his underwear to really get into Trevor’s head, although the GQ.com interview does not support it.

20 GTA III Almost Had First-Person Mode

Historically, Grand Theft Auto has primarily offered either a top-down or third person perspective. Things changed with GTA V, as eventually a first-person view was implemented. It added a whole new dimension on how to experience the city of Los Santos and might end up being a stable of the franchise. This was not actually the first time the series contemplated adding this alternative camera angle, as files for a first-person shooter mode can be found in GTA III. The leftover data is quite scarce, suggesting the concept was still in its infancy, but confirms that Rockstar considered this addition all the way back in 2002.

19 Aliens

It is pretty easy to go through the entirety of GTA V without noticing this, but aliens are everywhere in Los Santos! The most obvious one is Michael’s hallucinatory trip caused due to smoking some weed, which results in an epic battle against some extraterrestrial invaders. While this could be chalked off to a bad trip, a real alien can be found frozen in a river during the prologue and remains there throughout the game. Reminiscent of the xenomorph from the popular Alien series, could this hint that things could take a sci-fi twist in the next entry to the series? Probably not, but it is fun to speculate.

18 Perfection Costs Money

Los Santos was not created for spare change, as Rockstar Games invested a lot into Grand Theft Auto V. The action-adventure title cost $265 million dollars to develop and market; and is the most expensive game ever made, if not counting for inflation. At the time of its release, only the third Pirates of the Caribbean movie cost more than Rockstar’s swan song to the seventh console generation. Since then, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides have also jumped ahead, but that still brings the total to only three films. No small feat — that’s for sure.

17 GTA V’s Sleep Schedules

Trevor, Michael, and Franklin came from completely different backgrounds and their everyday life reflects that discrepancy. One detail which could easily be overlooked is the sleeping schedule for the main characters, as it varies to reflect their personality. Unsurprisingly, Trevor spends the most time in bed, as he sleeps for half the day at twelve hours. Michael, who is struggling to keep his family life together, only manages to rest for six hours at a time. Arguably the most stable of the three, Franklin sleeps for the recommended eight hours. Dang Millenials always looking after themselves!

16 Work Can Wait

Leading up to the release of Grand Theft Auto V, IGN.com asked gamers whether they plan to take a day off work to stay at home and play Rockstar’s upcoming game. Fittingly, considering the subject matter of the franchise, thousands of people booked the launch day as a holiday or planned to call in sick. With so many people calling in sick, GTA V marked one of the most anticipated consumer events in the last decade. If forced to choose between spending eight hours in front of an office computer or to go on a rampage with Trevor, we know which one we would pick.

15 Shoot The Moon And Watch In Amazement

The Moon first appeared in the Grand Theft Auto III, serving as a valuable source of light for some areas defined by darkness. While it was generally a static image, GTA V added much more details and implemented different phases, as before it only appeared as a full Moon. While players cannot go to the Moon itself, it is possible to interact with it using a sniper rifle. Shooting towards the natural satellite causes the size to change, getting bigger or smaller depending on how many bullets have been used. This feature is part of every 3D entry into the series, so whether it originally was a bug or not is kind of irrelevant now.

14 Lindsay Lohan Sued Rockstar Over GTA V Model…

Rockstar is no stranger to lawsuits, so it is unlikely they were shocked when Lindsay Lohan took them to court alleging they used her likeness for a Grand Theft Auto V’s model. Lacey Jonas is a vapid and vain character who is a parody of the Hollywood lifestyle, who is mostly known for being the poster model for the marketing of the game. She appears in a red bikini while dishing out the peace signal. The case was dismissed, with the court ruling that there is no law against a work of fiction parodying someone. Moreover, come on… there’s not even a particularly striking resemblance.

13 …Despite Lacey Jonas’ Model Being Shelby Welinder

While Lohan took Rockstar to court and rumors circulated that Kate Upton could possibly be the model, eventually Shelby Welinder confirmed that she is the buxom blonde plastered across GTA V’s marketing campaign. The British-American model was only 21 at the time and is know mostly working within the entertainment industry as a presenter and journalist. The resemblance is uncanny, which should quickly put to bed the idea that Rockstar used Lohan as a model for Lacey. In a fun little tidbit, Shelby was born on September 17, the same day GTA V was released.

12 GTA Is Huge Around The World

Famitsu is a respected magazine in Japan which scores video games on a weekly basis. Each title is played by four critics, who each provide a score out of 10, resulting in a final mark out of 40. While quite a few Japanese titles have earned perfect scores - including some rather questionable ones - Western produced games tend to miss out on the highest accolades. Alongside Skyrim, Grand Theft Auto V is the exception, receiving full marks across the board from the critics. In comparison, The Last of Us and Fallout 4 finished with a 38, while Bloodborne landed on a 36. Admittedly, scores are subjective but this is still an impressive achievement for Rockstar Games.

11 The Deleted Mini Game - Getting It On

Grand Theft Auto loves some controversy and Rockstar Games are hardly the type to shy away from any risky or adult content. Despite their reputation, apparently, even they have their breaking point, as a mini-game called Hot Coffee was cut from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. This allowed players to go on dates with a particular woman and eventually go all the way. As this would have resulted in an “Adults Only” rating by ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board), the developers removed the mini-game but modders managed to re-activate it. Eventually, Rockstar Games released a version of San Andreas which completely removed Hot Coffee and a patch to edit it out.