The Thief series is a collection of stealth video games where players control Garrett, a skilled thief in a fantasy steampunk world that mixes elements of the Late Middle Ages and the Victorian era, with more advanced technology added.

The series includes Thief: The Dark Project (1998), Thief II: The Metal Age (2000), Thief: Deadly Shadows (2004), Thief (2014), and Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow (2025). A version of Thief: The Dark Project called Thief Gold was released in 1999. It includes three additional maps and several bug fixes. Looking Glass Studios created both The Dark Project and The Metal Age. After the studio closed in 2000, many of its former employees joined Ion Storm and worked on the third game, Deadly Shadows. Later, Eidos-Montréal took over responsibility for developing the Thief series. Critics have given the series positive reviews.

Gameplay

The Thief video game series is played from the viewpoint of the main character, who moves through a 3D environment. The main goal in the game is to avoid fighting enemies. Instead, players move quietly through the environment to complete tasks, such as sneaking past enemies or stopping them without making too much noise or drawing attention. The games are sometimes called "first-person sneaker," "sneak-em-up," or "first-person looter" to highlight the focus on stealth. It took time for the game to be classified, as 3D stealth games like Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell and Assassin's Creed became more common after the first Thief game was released.

A key feature in Thief is the use of sound as part of the gameplay. Sounds help players know where other characters are nearby and show how much noise the main character, Garrett, makes while moving. Too much noise can alert guards, who may then search for intruders. Players can avoid being heard by walking softly, avoiding noisy surfaces, or using moss arrows to create a quiet path. Light and darkness are also important strategies. A meter at the bottom of the screen, called the "Light Gem," shows how visible the character is. Moving into darker areas or crouching makes the character less likely to be seen. Walking in bright areas or holding weapons like a sword or bow increases the chance of being noticed. Smart players watch for changes in light, guard patrol paths, and the type of ground they are walking on, just in case they need to hide quickly. A light source, such as a torch or gas lamp, can be turned off using a Water Arrow, creating a dark area where the player can hide. Electric lights can be turned off by using a nearby switch or button. However, if no switch is available, a Water Arrow will not turn off electric lights. In Thief: Deadly Shadows, players can extinguish a lit candle by pressing the "use" button on it. Guards or civilians may notice if a light is turned off or if something valuable is taken.

Exploration is another important part of the game, along with stealth. In most missions, especially in the first two Thief games, players can move freely through the environment without many obstacles. Players can also test different ways to interact with AI-controlled characters. They may choose to disable enemies using a blackjack, which stops them without killing them, a sword for direct combat that can kill enemies, or broadhead arrows to kill enemies from a distance. Other tools, like water arrows, rope arrows, and moss arrows, are also available. Players may also choose to avoid fighting entirely. "Ghosting" is a style of play where players complete all mission goals without being seen or heard.

Games

Looking Glass Studios released Thief: The Dark Project in late 1998. The game used the company's own special engine called the Dark Engine. A later version of the game, called Thief Gold, fixed some problems and added three new levels. These levels were based on ideas that were planned for the original game but not included due to time or money limits. Thief Gold also included extra materials, such as a tool called DromEd for creating game levels, a video about how the game was made, and a Windows 98 desktop theme. At the time, Looking Glass was working on a similar version of Thief II: The Metal Age, temporarily named Thief II Gold, but the company closed in 2000.

Looking Glass Studios released the sequel to Thief in early 2000. Thief II used the same Dark Engine as the original game and had a similar look and feel. Some areas had changes in design and technology because of events from the first game, and there were small improvements in graphics and programming, such as colored lighting. The basic gameplay was similar to the original, but new features were added, like a remote eye camera. The game also had more computer-controlled characters with different behaviors. The designers made Thief II's missions focus more on typical thief-like actions, such as stealing from wealthy people, rather than fighting monsters. Most monsters from the first game were not present, except for dinosaur-like trophies in mansions and a few zombies or ghosts. The game’s levels were designed first, and the story was adjusted to fit them, unlike the original game. Thief II Gold was a planned version of Thief II that was being developed by Looking Glass Studios before the company closed in 2000. It was likely an expansion similar to Thief Gold.

Thief: Deadly Shadows was the third game in the series and was developed by Ion Storm, not Looking Glass Studios. Many of the same people from Looking Glass worked on this game. It used a powerful engine based on the Unreal system. Unlike the first two games, Thief: Deadly Shadows was created for both Windows computers and the Xbox console. Because of these changes, the game looked and played very differently from the earlier games. One major new feature allowed players to explore the game’s city freely between missions. In previous games, the main character, Garrett, moved directly from one mission to another, but in Thief: Deadly Shadows, he could walk through the city, steal from people, and find side quests. The city was not one large map but several smaller areas connected by special zones. The game also allowed players to switch between first-person and third-person views and to flatten against walls. The lighting system was improved to handle moving shadows and light sources, which affected where players could hide. Other changes included better computer-controlled characters that could notice missing items or open doors, and a new way for sounds to travel through the environment.

Thief is the fourth game in the series. It was developed by Eidos-Montréal and published by Square Enix. Starting in early 2008, rumors about a fourth Thief game began to spread. Eidos-Montréal’s General Manager, Stéphane D'Astous, mentioned in an interview that a new game starting with the letter "T" would be announced within a year. The game was officially revealed on May 11, 2009, and was originally called Thief 4.

Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow is the fifth game in the series. It was developed by Maze Theory and published by Vertigo Games in December 2025. This game features a new main character, a girl nicknamed Magpie, who has Garrett’s mechanical eye. The game is only available for virtual reality headsets like Steam VR, Quest, and PlayStation VR2.

Setting

The world of Thief is a dark fantasy setting focused on a large, complex city called "The City." This city looks similar to 18th and 19th century London but has a medieval culture. This is shown in its buildings, clothing, social system, and the use of magic instead of guns. The city mixes old and new technology and is often in conflict between a corrupt group of nobles, a religious group, and a group of angry forest creatures. A secret group watches over these conflicts. People in this world believe in many superstitions, and there are many supernatural creatures and undead beings. Electricity is used for lights and factories, but not for other purposes. How electricity is made is unknown. Electricity was common 50 years before Garrett was born, but the steam boiler was invented just before the events of Thief II: The Metal Age. The story takes place hundreds of years after the original games, with more focus on "The City." Garrett works in the city's hidden economy, making money through theft. Sometimes, Garrett leaves the city to rob mansions, prisons, or graveyards.

Characters

The following characters appear in multiple games. Information about characters who appear only once can be found in Thief: The Dark Project, Thief II, and Thief: Deadly Shadows.

Garrett is the main character in the series. He was first introduced in Thief: The Dark Project. The Keepers, a secret group, trained him to join them, but instead, Garrett used his skills to become a master thief. In the 2014 version of Thief, Garrett was reimagined with new goals and personality traits. In the first three games, Garrett is voiced by Stephen Russell. In the 2014 version, he is voiced by Romano Orzari.

Ken Levine, who worked on the story for Thief: The Dark Project, wanted the game’s world to feel familiar to fans of fantasy stories but also to have a style similar to film noir. To achieve this, he created a character named "Palmer," a private detective hired by a woman. Levine wanted to include an anti-hero, a character who is not completely good or bad, inspired by 1970s films like Blade Runner and Chinatown. He designed Garrett to have a troubled past and to take dangerous jobs, even assassination. However, this idea was changed after other developers raised concerns. Garrett’s design was based on a character from a previous project called Dark Camelot, created by Marc Lizotte and Rob Waters. Originally, the character looked like a knight with armor and a sword, but the design was changed to fit the fantasy setting and make him appear more fierce and lean.

A new version of Garrett appears in the 2014 reboot. Randy Smith, a designer from the original trilogy, suggested creating a new character instead of using Garrett.

Garrett was praised by critics. In 1999, GameSpot listed him as one of the top ten heroes in gaming, noting that he has a noble heart despite his dishonest actions. In 2009, GameSpot included him in a list of the 64 greatest video game heroes. In 2010, GamesTM ranked him among the greatest game characters, describing him as cynical and mysterious. In 2011, Empire ranked him as the 29th greatest video game character, comparing him to a medieval version of Han Solo. In 2008, PC Zone ranked him as the ninth best character in PC gaming for his sarcastic humor. In 2012, IGN called him one of the most notorious anti-heroes in gaming, combining a tough exterior with a strong sense of honor. GamesRadar ranked him as the 35th most memorable protagonist in games, calling him a pioneer for thieves and assassins. In 2021, PC Gamer listed him among the most iconic characters in PC gaming.

Viktoria, voiced by Terri Brosius, is a wood nymph in the series. She was the main villain in Thief: The Dark Project, as she removed one of Garrett’s eyes. Later, she and her followers became allies with Garrett during his fight against the Mechanists in Metal Age. At first, Garrett did not trust her, but over time, he respected and cared for her. The two grew closer, and Garrett even risked his life to save her during an attack on Soulforge. Viktoria was praised by critics. In 2000, GameSpot listed her as one of the ten best female characters according to readers. In 2007, Tom's Games included her in a list of the 50 greatest female characters in video game history, noting her transformation from a villain to a heroic ally.

• Keeper Artemus – A Keeper who took in young Garrett and taught him in Thief: The Dark Project. Artemus is the main link between Garrett and the Keepers throughout the series. He tries to get Garrett to help with the Keepers’ prophecies, but Garrett is reluctant. Artemus cares about Garrett despite his rejection of Keeper ways and has his own rebellious nature. He is believed to have died near the end of Thief: Deadly Shadows.
• Keeper Orland – A Keeper who dislikes Garrett. Orland becomes the leader of the Keepers in Thief: Deadly Shadows. His leadership is strict and secretive, and Garrett quickly dislikes him. Orland first appeared in Thief II: The Metal Age, though he was voiced by a different actor.
• Interpreter Caduca – An old woman in the Keeper organization who reads and interprets the Glyph Prophecies. These prophecies are important to the Keepers’ work, so Caduca has a key role. In reality, Caduca is young, but prolonged exposure to the Glyphs causes her to age quickly. She is killed by The Hag in Thief: Deadly Shadows.
• Translator Gamall – Caduca’s assistant, a pale and emotionless girl who translates her work into English. Gamall will take over as interpreter when Caduca can no longer work. Gamall is actually a disguise used by The Hag.
• "Benny" – A recurring drunkard guard whose unpredictable behavior and funny comments make him memorable.

Game editing

When DromEd, a map editor for the first two games, was released, fans started creating many custom missions for those games. These missions, made by players, are sometimes as complex or even more complex than the original game missions. Other fans can play these missions using a loader. In February 2005, T3Ed, a map editor for the third game Deadly Shadows, was released after fans wrote letters to the developers. This tool lets fans design levels with all the interactive objects found in original missions, as well as add items that can be stolen and adjust lighting, which greatly changes how the game is played. Human NPCs and creatures from different groups can be included in missions, and their actions, such as patrol routes, can be set up. Missions can be prepared and shared with other players, who need a loader to play them.

Film

In 2016, Straight Up Films bought the rights to make a movie based on the game Thief. Adam Mason and Simon Boyes were chosen to write the screenplay. Sandra Condito, who is the President of Production at Straight Up Films, was the executive producer. Khalid Jones from Source Rock and Square Enix also helped produce the film. Marisa Polvino and Kate Cohen from Straight Up Films, along with Roy Lee and Adrian Askarieh, worked as producers.

In 2015, Adrian Askarieh, who produced the Hitman films, said he wanted to create a connected series of movies featuring Square Enix games, including Just Cause, Hitman, Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, and Thief. However, he admitted he did not have the rights to Tomb Raider. In May 2017, reporters from Metro UK’s Game Central noted that no progress had been made on movies for Just Cause, Deus Ex, or Thief, and the idea of a connected series seemed unlikely.