Sony's GTA Exclusivity Driven by Xbox Concerns, Former Exec Reveals

Sony secured an exclusivity deal for Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City, and San Andreas for the PlayStation 2 as a strategic move to counter the launch of Microsoft's Xbox in 2001. Former PlayStation Europe boss Chris Deering revealed that Sony was concerned about Xbox's entry into the market and sought to strengthen the PlayStation's appeal through exclusive deals with third-party publishers. This decision proved beneficial for both Sony and Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two, as the games became some of the best-selling titles on the PS2, solidifying GTA's association with PlayStation.