Grand Theft Auto: London 1961 is a free PC expansion released in 1999 as a companion to *Grand Theft Auto* and *Grand Theft Auto: London 1969*. Developed by Rockstar Canada and published by Rockstar Games, this action-adventure title brings back the distinctive top-down perspective of the series' first installment, offering a new set of missions set in 1960s London.
The story takes place eight years prior to the events of *London 1969*, in a city defined by a criminal underworld, gang rivalries, and illicit assignments. The setting retains the British identity of the previous expansion, featuring narrow streets, period-accurate vehicles, and an aesthetic inspired by mid-20th-century London. While it utilizes the same engine and gameplay foundation as the original *Grand Theft Auto*, the package expands the experience with new objectives and scenarios designed for fans of the original campaign.
Key features include new missions, a previously unsee...
Grand Theft Auto: London 1961 is a free PC expansion released in 1999 as a companion to *Grand Theft Auto* and *Grand Theft Auto: London 1969*. Developed by Rockstar Canada and published by Rockstar Games, this action-adventure title brings back the distinctive top-down perspective of the series' first installment, offering a new set of missions set in 1960s London.
The story takes place eight years prior to the events of *London 1969*, in a city defined by a criminal underworld, gang rivalries, and illicit assignments. The setting retains the British identity of the previous expansion, featuring narrow streets, period-accurate vehicles, and an aesthetic inspired by mid-20th-century London. While it utilizes the same engine and gameplay foundation as the original *Grand Theft Auto*, the package expands the experience with new objectives and scenarios designed for fans of the original campaign.
Key features include new missions, a previously unseen cinematic sequence, and a total of 22 additional vehicles. These cars reinforce the historical setting and allow players to navigate the city in a wider variety of models, all while maintaining the arcade-style driving, high-speed chases, and criminal action that characterized the series in its early days. Missions involve a mix of travel, theft, combat, and tasks for various organizations, while still offering the freedom to explore the map and wreak the kind of havoc typical of the series.
The expansion also introduces a new map for the deathmatch multiplayer mode, based on the English city of Manchester. This addition offers an alternative to the campaign, allowing players to face off in fast-paced combat that takes advantage of the game's overhead perspective and open layout. Its inclusion highlights Rockstar's commitment to expanding not only the single-player experience but also the title's competitive potential.
Grand Theft Auto: London 1961 was distributed as downloadable freeware for Windows via an executable file approximately 7 MB in size. Unlike *London 1969*, it was not released for multiple platforms; it requires a PC and the installation of both the original *Grand Theft Auto* and the previous expansion. Consequently, it serves as a complementary and particularly intriguing entry from the franchise's early era—one worth exploring to discover the origins of its formula combining action, driving, and criminal freedom.
