The history of cover girls in the GTA series

One of the most well-known aspects of GTA cover art is the women that adorn it; they are synonymous with their respective titles.

GTA marketing often uses suggestive images of cover girls for marketing purposes. Most of these women have no story importance whatsoever. A few of them can be found in the game, but most are not. They are mainly designed for promotional intent only. As such, they are mostly wallpapers.

Ever since 2001, Rockstar Games have used these product advertisements. While not fleshed out as characters, a few cover girls do have detailed stories and interesting backgrounds. They are a memorable part of GTA history, even if they don't do much of anything.

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GTA cover girls - a brief history

It should be noted that each box cover art uses different styles. This means the cover girls will be drawn differently. For example, Misty uses a thick black outline and bright colors, while Lola lacks an outline and uses a watercolor medium.

Misty

Misty from GTA 3 (Image via Rockstar Games)

Misty is a female escort who was heavily featured in promotional artwork for GTA 3. She's the only cover girl to show up on a story mission, where she appears in three of them. Misty is a regular for high-ranking clients in Liberty City. Claude often drives her around the area.

Interestingly, she does appear on GTA Online as a parent for the player's character. If they have a collector's edition or want to transfer between different versions, she will be available. Claude also makes a cameo as a potential father. This is as close as the GTA 3 fans will get to HD graphics.

The Twins

One of the Twins from GTA Vice City (Image via Rockstar Games)

These Hispanic twins are prominently featured in the cover art for GTA Vice City. The instruction manual suggests they are company to Ricardo Diaz, although they never show up in his cut-scenes. However, they do appear in-game in the Malibu Club and Pole Position, respectively.

One of the Twins is a barmaid for the popular nightclub, while the other is a stripper. Players can unlock her services if they spend $300 on dances. Since their first appearance, they continue to be referenced in future games. For example, online players can buy artwork depicting one of the twins.

Rochell'le

Rochell'le is an interesting case for a cover girl. Although she never shows up in the story properly, she does have a presence. She is a famous singer who primarily specializes in R&B and hip-hop. Rap artist Madd Dogg is her ex-boyfriend, having broken up before the events of GTA San Andreas.

Rockstar Games had a promotional website for the game, entitled Forgotten Legends of West Coast Rap. She had some beef with another Rochell'le, and the two settled their differences after a decisive battle.

Rochell'le eventually took a more lewd approach to her music, which didn't bode well for her. She broke up with Madd Dogg and has faded into obscurity ever since. In GTA 5, she can be found as a poster in Franklin's room, as well as dollar bills in the Yellow Jacket Inn.

Lola Del Rio

Lola from GTA 4 (Image via Rockstar Games)

GTA 4 marks the use of watercolor images for promotional art. Lola was among the first to receive this treatment. According to the LCPD website, Lola is a frequent visitor to Star Junction and Algonquin.

However, she cannot be found in the main game. Players can only find information from her LCPD profile.

Lola is a local escort, in a similar vein to her counterpart Misty. In 2005, she was charged with public lewdness; in 2007, she was charged with prostitution. Apparently, she was a San Fierro resident who moved to Liberty City.

Players will probably refer to her as the Lollipop Girl. Rockstar Games Social Club references her as such in their profile avatars.

GTA 5 selfie girl

The mysteriously unnamed cover girl (Image via Rockstar Games)

GTA 5 fans will recognize her presence immediately, given the long loading screens. Unlike most cover girls, she is unnamed here. A representative of the Los Santos culture, the scantily-clad woman is seen taking a selfie at a beach. She is holding the latest iFruit phone.

Rockstar Games hired real-life model Shelby Welinder to pose for a photo shoot. By getting in touch with her agency, the development team was able to use her likeliness for the cover girl. Given how long GTA 5 has been around, the model has immortalized herself in video game history.

Of course, that didn't stop Lindsay Lohan from filing a frivolous lawsuit. Predictably, it was eventually thrown out when the judge deemed it a meritless claim.

Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.