Money

Money is an integral element in the Grand Theft Auto series, with its importance varying game by game. It is a statistic primarily represented by a counter on the player's HUD as the amount of money in hand. Missions are often emphasized as a reliable source of income, but the player may resort to other means of obtaining money in the game.

In early GTA games, money is emphasized as the key to unlocking new areas in the game, but it may also be used in various other activities. The formula was dramatically modified after Grand Theft Auto III, when money was only important for specific missions as the completion of missions unlocks new area instead; the former was removed entirely after Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Since GTA III, the primary use of money is to purchase of items and services, such as health, armor, clothing, and weapons.

Rockstar Games have stated in the Grand Theft Auto V GI magazine that money has expanded since GTA IV but with more changes to it.

As the vast majority of settings in the series takes place in the United States of America, the currency unit of money is the United States dollar. The London add-on packs for GTA 1 (Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 and Grand Theft Auto: London 1961) are exceptions; as the games are set in the United Kingdom, the sterling pound substitutes the dollar symbol.

It should be noted that money throughout the GTA series comes only in stacks of paper bills as there are no single bank notes seen in the games. Cents and coins are also not in any of the games yet it is presumed they exist.

GTA 1 Era — GTA 2 Era

For progression into new cities or areas and storyline in Grand Theft Auto 1 and Grand Theft Auto 2, money must be earned to the point a certain amount is fulfilled, often in millions.

Money in the two games is relatively easy to obtain. Acts of crimes, murder and traffic violations often award players with scores, giving the player small quantities of cash. Missions, however, grant players larger amounts of money, in addition to score multipliers that increases the aforementioned monetary award from street crimes by one fold for each mission. This formula, assuming the player continues to successfully complete missions, will result in the player obtaining progressively larger amounts of money until a certain amount is reached and the player may progress to the next city or area.

The use of money for other purposes was explored in GTA 2. With the ability to save games, the player must have a certain amount of money in hand to enter save points (comically represented by a "Jesus Saves" evangelical place of worship which demands donations in order for the player to "save" his "soul"). The game also offers several drive-in shops where the player may remove their wanted level, upgrade their vehicle with equipment, or install bombs, all at a cost.

GTA III Era

GTA III

Money in GTA III.

In Grand Theft Auto III, the money system was completely refashioned. While certain street crimes still award players with small amounts of money, the score multiplier is removed, and pedestrians, except emergency personnel, drop cash onto the street upon death. Missions still provide substantial amounts of money, but sub-missions, which debuted in GTA III, serve as an additional source of income, awarding the player with increasingly more money as the sub-missions progress. Different as all other GTA Games, in GTA III the player has the capacity to earn money by crashing cars.

Money in GTA III is assigned a secondary role in game progression for specific missions only, when the player is required to pay 8-Ball large sums of money to construct a bomb in "Bomb Da Base Act II", and when the player must pay a large ransom to secure Maria Latore's freedom, who is kidnapped by Catalina and the Colombian Cartel, in "The Exchange". Outside missions, money remains important in the purchase of weapons, respraying of vehicles and the installation of car bombs. Sessions with prostitutes, another addition in the game, also incur a cost to the player, depending on how long the player requires her services.

GTA Vice City

In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, instant monetary awards for street crimes are largely eliminated (saved the destruction of helicopters, which was later removed in GTA San Andreas), leaving missions, sub-missions and dropped pedestrian cash, and robbing stores (in addition to the destruction of parking meters in Downtown) as the only visible sources of income. The average amount of money awarded to the player and cost of items were also divided by 10 (i.e. the use of Pay 'n' Spray costs $100 in GTA Vice City, compared to $1,000 in GTA III). The game also reduces the number of missions where large sums of money was needed; only one such mission remains, "Keep Your Friends Close".

Maintaining the relevance of money in GTA, the player is offered the possibility of purchasing properties and businesses at varying costs. Upon completion of missions or sub-missions for one of said businesses, the business will begin amassing a certain amount of money each day, which the player may pick up at their own leisure. As another small bonus, the player can earn $50 "good citizen" bonus by attacking (without firearms) criminals being chased by police.

GTA San Andreas

Money in GTA San Andreas.

While the money system is largely unchanged from the last installment, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas expanded on the number of options to earn money and spend it, by introducing a variety of new sub-missions, establishments where players may purchase food or clothes, vehicle customization and gambling. Monetary pickups in gang turf are present, and, like GTA Vice City, properties may still be purchased and produce income of their own.

If the player loses too much money, either by spending too much or by losing at gambling, the green numbers representing money on the HUD will be replaced by red numbers and a negative sign. Soon after the player falls into debt, Carl will receive a phone call from an unknown man, reminding Carl that he owes him money. A while after that, Carl will receive another phone call from the same unknown man, who tells Carl that some of his "associates" will be paying Carl a visit to talk about his debts. Shortly after this, Carl will be attacked by armed gangsters. The only ways to erase the debts is to earn enough money to get out of debt or kill the hitmen sent to kill Carl.

GTA Advance

The player gets large sums of cash for missions, like in GTA III. However, the only thing that this money can be used for is buying weapons.

GTA Liberty City Stories

The money system works just like the previous installments from the GTA III Era. Aside from a mission which requires the player to have enough money to pay for some explosives, the only other things the player can spend it on are weapons, ferries, visits to the Pay 'n' Spray, and bombs for cars.

GTA Vice City Stories

The importance of money increases a little; the player can again purchase properties and build the assets from them into whatever type of business they desire. Money can now be gained easily through the new addition of Empire Building. Another new feature is that instead of picking up the money earned from each property daily, the player gets it through a pager message at 16:00 each day (except when on a mission, in which case the pager message is delivered after the mission ends). Another new method for obtaining small amounts of cash is introduced, in the form of a small bonus awarded to the player for saving pedestrians from being attacked by enemy gang members. Popping each of the 99 red balloons also awards a small amount of cash.

GTA IV Era

GTA IV

Money in GTA IV.

The core of the money system is unchanged in Grand Theft Auto IV. However, profitable sub-missions, which were sources of income since GTA III, are reduced to Brucie Kibbutz's Exotic Exports, The Fixer's Assassinations, and Stevie's Car Thefts. The game also allows the player to open cash registers in certain stores for a small amount of cash (robbing the business) or blowing up a Securicar (scattering money on the street for the player to pick up), though the former gives the player a one-star wanted level, and the latter gives the player a two-star wanted level. If zoomed in on a strippers leg, the number 69 can be seen. However this money cannot be picked up.

A 10 dollar bill found in the Hi-Lo card games in TLAD.

As in GTA IV the importance of money for the purchase of food and clothing is reintroduced. Outings with friends or girlfriends also require substantial amounts of money when going for a drink, eating or bowling. Players are also given the option of simply giving money away to street musicians (for health) and tramps.

Money is also the unit of measure of rank in GTA IV's multiplayer. The more money the player has, the higher their rank:

A one dollar bill found in the Hi-Lo card games in TLAD.

Rank	Money
0	$0
1	$1,000
2	$10,000
3	$50,000
4	$100,000
5	$250,000
6	$500,000
7	$750,000
8	$1,000,000
9	$2,500,000.
10	$5,000,000

In Chinatown Wars, there are two types of money pickups, one being a green dollar sign, the other one being a blue dollar sign. The green dollar sign is ranged from $10 to $80, and can be commonly found by killing pedestrians, while the blue dollar sign is very rare (only appearing in two missions, A Rude Awakening and One Shot, One Kill). It is worth $200.

GTA V Era

GTA V

Rockstar Games has stated that money is not only a key element in GTA but will help you get things. Rockstar has also said that because GTA fans complained that there wasn't enough stuff to spend money on even though there were plenty of ways to raise your money, there will be "toys" you can engage with at all points of the story and use it in different ways. Dan Houser has stated during an interview with IGN that "Having a more vibrant economy and a sense that the reason these people are doing this stuff, at least on some level, is financially driven."

It could be possible that when starting as Michael you may have a substantial amount of money already in your pocket since, a few hundreds or thousands of dollars or maybe even two or three millions (Michael is rich, lives in a mansion, has a car and a nice phone).

Gallery

Money counters

GTA 2. GTA III. GTA Vice City. GTA San Andreas. GTA Advance. GTA IV.