I got the opportunity to borrow GTA III for PS2 from a classmate in I think 2003, and the very next day I told my buddy Andreas "Theonly One"; WOW, THE GAME IS AWESOME! YOU CAN KICK PEOPLE IN THE NUTS!!" He was actually the one who wanted me to try it since he had played it on PC ;P
Still, I believe that I might have got in contact with GTA a bit earlier since Theonly One had the first and second game on PC, but it's nothing I can recall really.