Grand Theft Auto 2
The ROMANOV Archive dives into Rockstar’s dystopian gangster satire Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999) to uncover one of the strangest and most politically charged portrayals of the Russian Mafia in gaming history.
In a neon-lit world of cyberpunk chaos and faction warfare, players encounter the “Kovski Bratva” — a gang of communist-themed criminals draped in red stars and Cold War caricature. Led by a heroin-addicted ex-Soviet soldier named Jerkov, the Russian faction in GTA2 is a blend of vodka-soaked absurdity, hot dog cannibalism, post-Soviet brutality, and relentless parody.
From meat-grinder cannibal missions to pirate radio rants and Soviet-engineered tanks disguised as cars, this article dissects Rockstar's brutal satire of the 1990s Russian underworld. Along the way, we explore how linguistic jokes, geopolitical references, and dark humor shaped one of the most extreme portrayals of Russian stereotypes ever put in a game.