Toronto just got its own version of Grand Theft Auto — and it’s as hilarious, chaotic, and charmingly Canadian as it sounds.
A new free-to-play online parody called “Grand Theft Toronto” is taking the internet by storm, letting players weave through downtown traffic, dodge aggressive drivers and cops, and deliver Tim Hortons orders — all while encountering some of the city’s most recognizable faces.
Developed by Robert Ciborowski, a University of Toronto computer science alumnus, the game is both a love letter and a satirical take on life in “The Six.” Players can spot famous local icons like Drake, Mayor Olivia Chow, former mayors Mel Lastman and Rob Ford, jewellery legend Russell “The Cashman” Oliver, and even a menacing raccoon — Toronto’s unofficial mascot.
“I was reading about these famous Toronto figures and thought each could have a movie made about them,” Ciborowski told Metroland Media. “That’s when the idea hit me — why not create a ‘Toronto Cinematic Universe,’ but as a video game as cheeky as Grand Theft Auto?”
Ciborowski said the concept was partly inspired by Toronto’s auto theft crisis, which has dominated headlines in recent years. “A couple of years ago, someone abandoned a stolen Rolls-Royce near my house,” he recalled. “The contrast between grand theft and everyday Toronto life stuck with me.”
The game’s infectious background track, “Straight Outta Brampton,” — written using the developer’s new tool Chatforce — features tongue-in-cheek lyrics like “Home invasions while we’re snoring, just rolling, looking for the keys that I’m holding.” The song, like the game itself, is pure satire with a local twist.
Ciborowski, along with collaborators Maeesha Biswas and Peter Won, built Grand Theft Toronto in just two weeks using Chatforce, a platform designed to democratize game creation by removing technical barriers. “We want anyone with a game idea to be able to build it,” he said. “Even if they don’t know how to code, draw, or compose music.”
The team plans to release Chatforce publicly for free this December, believing it will spark “an explosion of new, creative games.”
In the meantime, Grand Theft Toronto is earning rave reviews on Reddit, where players are calling it “the most Toronto thing ever.” With its Tim Hortons runs, raccoon cameos, and GTA-style mayhem, this tongue-in-cheek game captures the city’s quirks better than any travel brochure ever could.