Behind the scenes footage showing creation of first GTA shows how far the game has come

Incredible behind-the-scenes footage showing how the first Grand Theft Auto game was made has resurfaced, and it really shows how far the game has come.

Rockstar Games released the first trailer GTA VI on Monday (4 December), after it initially leaked online.

The visually impressive first look at GTA VI showcased the ever-expected Vice City for the very first time, with a modern twist compared to 2002's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

While the fictionalized depiction of Miami certainly took centre stage, fans also got to see a lot of the series' first female protagonist, Lucia.

GTA VI may be the next entry in the famed franchise, but let's take a trip down memory lane to the first ever GTA game to be released.

The original Grand Theft Auto released in 1997, created by DMA Design Ltd - who are now the Rockstar North studio based in Scotland.

Prior to the release of GTA 1, the BBC sent a reporter to the Rockstar offices for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a Grand Theft Auto game.

In the segment, Rory Cellan Jones spoke to one member of the team about the hotly-anticipated release and what it's all about.

BBC

Getting straight to the point, he told the journalist: "Well, it's a mission-based driving game, where basically you're driving around the city, stealing cars, running over pedestrians... "

The report then cuts to another part of the studio, where they're working on graphics for another game in their catalogue.

And it provides a good insight into how they eventually evolved the GTA series and its fight sequences.

In the background of the office, a young guy, called Darren, is seen wearing a black skullcap and kneepads, with white dots all over him as he grapples with thin air, throwing punches at nothing.

Poor Darren makes for quite hilarious viewing.

"You might think Darren here's gone completely mad but what he's actually doing is executing punches in the motion capture department," Cellan Jones explained.

BBC

"Those punches that he's doing, they're actually being picked up on a computer here [and] will be used to animate models in another game."

It's certainly safe to say we've come a long way since then, as the first trailer for GTA VI shows.

While fans may be excited, the 2025 release date has disappointed many.

But one thing you can say is...when has Rockstar ever let us down?