From a ‘single save-passing exercise’ to an ‘international community’: How GTA’s world-hopping Chain Game has endured through hundreds of rounds—and how it’s preparing for its biggest test yet with GTA 6
‘Community-based relay game’ isn’t something I’d immediately associate with Grand Theft Auto. It’s just not very gangster, is it? It hardly evokes Trevor Phillips forcibly removing a hostage’s teeth with pliers, nor does it reflect Niko Belic delivering harvested organs to the Black Market. When I think of the wider GTA timeline, I picture Tommy Vercetti storming Ricardo Diaz’s Vice City mansion, leaving him in a bullet-strewn pool of his blood; and Carl Johnson murdering his way to the top of San Andreas’ gangland underworld.
I don’t immediately think of a non-real-time version of multiplayer where players take it in turns to progress a single save file, back and forth, round after round, until each game hits 100% completion. That is exactly what the GTA Chain Game is all about, therefore this community-based relay game, in actual fact, brushes up against all of the above—something it’s now been doing for several years, now across several Grand Theft Auto classics.
“It’s crazy to us,” says GTAKid, the Chain Game’s long-serving commander-in-chief, “to think that we’re still going in 2026.
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“We are very aware of the increasing age of the games we play and know that while many of us regard these games as some of the greatest of all time, finding and maintaining an active player base can be difficult. We couldn’t be more appreciative that in 2026 we are continuing to welcome new players to our community.”
Assisted living
When I first spoke to GTAKid about the Chain Game for PC Gamer’s sister site GamesRadar+ back in 2021, the community was in the throes of 100%-ing Grand Theft Auto 3. At the time, the GTA Trilogy—Definitive Edition was just around the corner, as was the Dr Dre-starring The Contract update for GTA Online. GTA 6 was but an enduring spec on the horizon, and we were years away from the leaks, the show-stopping Tom Petty trailer, and the string of delays that have since marked the incoming crime sim series entry’s long, long road.
In the meantime, mastering everything that’s come before is the Chain Game’s natural focus—but how important keeping things simple in the midst of this process needs to be, graduating to games with more moving parts poses its own challenges. Most recently, for example, GTAKid and co. have taken to the graffitied streets of GTA 4.
“It’s been great fun being back in Liberty City,” says GTAKid. “GTA 4 has always been a favourite of mine and it has really grown in popularity with our community over the years. The beauty of playing through the more modern games is that they are feature-packed and add a lot of choice—it means that no two rounds we play are the same. Since we last spoke, we now also play through Episodes From Liberty City, and it has been great to replay those stories too.
“Looking at the bigger picture, what started as a simple save passing exercise is now an international community playing multiple games, hosting online events, and sharing conversations. Behind the scenes myself and fellow team members TubewayArmy and Stahli run a more structured operation to ensure the rounds keep running, but at the core of the Chain Game remains the same community spirit. Ultimately we couldn’t do what we do if it wasn’t for our incredible community and they remain the heart and focus of everything we plan.”
My own involvement in the Chain Game has always been as an at-a-distance observer, viewing it from the outside looking in and admiring the commitment and dedication required to push games that are years, sometimes decades, old to their limits.
But what is it that keeps players coming back again and again and again—is it nostalgia, is it the challenge, is it the relay format itself?
“I think it’s a mix of all three,” GTAKid adds. “Those of us a certain age have fond memories of these games from when we were younger and experiences we shared with our family and friends. What better way to spend your free time than playing a game you love? At the same time, we have welcomed more casual players and those who have barely played the games at all, giving them the opportunity to navigate the challenges of playing these games for the first time with the support and guidance of experienced community veterans.
“Where our relay format works best is that there is no commitment—you can jump in, play a mission, and see how it goes without having to worry about playing the whole game yourself. Every game brings its own energy too, from Vice to San Andreas to GTA 4, it’s been really interesting to me seeing how our rounds for the modern games differ from the classics.
“When you think of a game like Vice City, you think of a simple, more arcade-like experience; I’ve been able to fit in a quick turn before leaving for work or during a lunch break. A game like GTA 4 can require a bit more time and concentration but then can be a perfect choice for a chill weekend where you want to sit back, relax, and take a longer turn. Each game brings something different but that’s part of the fun.”
Of course, with GTA 6 now set to finally land on consoles later this year, GTAKid and his Chain Game community wait with baited breath. It surely goes without saying that the next Grand Theft Auto marks an opportunity to extend not just the Chain Game itself into new-age Vice City, but the reach of the community itself.
How that might unfold remains to be seen, but GTAKid reckons he and his peers will enjoy the game on a more casual basis first before then mapping out what a GTA 6 Chain Game may look like in size and scope.
He adds: “The team and I are really excited about GTA 6 and there may have already been a conversation or two about what a Chain Game might look like. This time around we definitely hope to put something together sooner rather than later, so I’m sure once we’ve had the chance to play through and complete the game ourselves, we’ll be coming together to discuss how we make that happen.
“We have always really focused on keeping the format of the Chain Game as simple as possible so that it is adaptable to any game. While games have undoubtedly become more complex, all we need to make it happen is a way of getting a save file from person to person. As simple as that may sound, we have encountered challenges with updates changing save file formats and creating incompatibility between versions.
“We thankfully have so far always been able to come up with a solution and I have to give credit to Samutz and his site for providing us and the wider GTA community with a way of being able to easily convert save files between update versions on PC.”
Which I guess is what does, what has and what always will anchor the Chain Game for as long as it continues to exist: teamwork. It’s now a genuinely international operation with hundreds of players feeding into it with varying degrees of commitment. Faces come and go, sure, some for longer than others, but for GTAKid on a personal level, the Chain Game has forged a throughline into the last decade or so of his life.
With that, comes an unbridled sense of gratitude and understanding—for the GTA Chain Game itself, and for other hobbyist communities in the Grand Theft Auto space and beyond.
“Now more than ever, I have a deep appreciation for communities like ours,” says GTAKid. “Through the games I spent so many of my younger years playing, I have been able to create countless new memories and more importantly lifelong friends.
“I often think about how the Chain Game has been the one constant in more than a decade of my life and how it and the people who are a part of it have supported me through both good and difficult times. I couldn’t be more thankful to be a part of something so special.
“We’re in a really good place at the moment and our plan for the next five years is to keep growing and making the Chain Game better than ever. It’s set to be an exciting year for us, celebrating 100 rounds of Vice City, introducing a new type of special round, and perhaps something new over on the west coast.”
Everything you need to know about the GTA Chain Game, including how to get involved, lives on the Chain Game Lounge on GTAForums.
