GTA's open world began as a way to avoid building a menu, developers recall
At a Grand Theft Auto Origins panel in Dundee, DMA Design veterans said the first game was initially planned as a linear experience with missions selected from a menu. Lead programmer Keith Hamilton explained that the open-world structure emerged because the team did not want to create a front end. The developers also said the mission-giving telephones were inspired by Die Hard with a Vengeance, and discussed how radio stations came together.
At a Dundee panel hosted by the Scottish Game Developers Association during Games Day 2026, DMA Design alumni traced the first Grand Theft Auto’s shift from a linear mission-select structure to an open-world city. Lead programmer Keith Hamilton attributed the change partly to avoiding a separate menu interface, while creative director Gary Penn noted the game once presented missions through a list.
The team later placed missions at ringing phones, an idea linked to Die Hard with a Vengeance. Radio stations reportedly grew from genre-spanning 30-second music tests; after assuming BMG’s catalogue would be free, the developers instead funded their own recordings. Police radio codes, traffic-light cycles, and police dispatch routes added hidden simulation depth.
This retrospective may shape how players and developers view open-world design, framing it as a practical workaround rather than grand vision. It could encourage smaller studios to see constraints as creative catalysts. Fans may appreciate hidden systems like radio codes and traffic lights, deepening attachment to the series. Industry observers may revisit early 3D-era development lore, influencing how games history is taught and remembered.