The open world structure of the original Grand Theft Auto was not part of an ambitious design document. Former DMA Design programmers revealed that the free roaming layout came from an effort to avoid building complex menus and mission select screens. That technical shortcut reshaped the entire franchise after hitting store shelves in 1997.
Speaking at the Grand Theft Auto Origins panel in Dundee Scotland, former studio staff explained that the project began as a linear experience. The initial plan called for standard menu screens where players picked jobs 1 by 1. Lead programmer Keith Hamilton explained that the team opted for an open city simply to cut down on tedious interface programming.
To be honest the idea of an open world came about because we did not want to deal with the user interface and mission selection. You just start the first job and it rolls on from there.
Instead of a traditional menu screen, the programmers placed ringing payphones across the city map so players could accept jobs in any sequence. The concept came directly from the film Die Hard with a Vengeance, where the villain directs the protagonist across New York through public phones. That change started a chain reaction of gameplay additions. Police cruisers actually tracked paths from local stations to intercept the player, while street traffic lights operated on real cycles. Hamilton joked that during development testing, he was the only driver in the entire game who ever stopped at a red light.
The original game launched in 1997 with a top down perspective before transitioning to full 3D graphics in later entries. One of the most influential sandbox designs in gaming history came about because the programmers wanted to avoid coding extra menus. The shortcut ultimately defined the open world genre.
Source: videogameschronicle
