There is some discrepancy regarding the year in which GTA2 takes place. The game is often stated as taking place in 2013, as this is the year marked in police records found on the official GTA2 website. However, Head Radio host Johnny Riccaro says "the millennium is coming" in one of his broadcasts, suggesting the game takes place in 1999 or just before it. The game's own manual claims that it takes place "three weeks into the future", and the official website containing the police records used to have a timer always set three weeks from the current date.

The date was perhaps left ambiguous on purpose, as the city the game takes place in is also called "Anywhere, USA".