In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, gamers play as Carl “CJ” Johnson, who returns to his hometown after his mother’s murder. Still, despite the gap between the two highly successful games, it turns out their protagonists have an unlikely connection. Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and GTA 5 were released almost a decade apart, with San Andreas making its debut in 2004, while the newest game in the franchise was released in 2013.