Niko Bellic

Niko Bellic is the main playable character in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

He is a former soldier from Eastern Europe who moved to Liberty City to escape his troubled past and pursue the American Dream. Niko was persuaded to move by his cousin Roman, who claimed to be living a life of luxury, with beautiful women, sports cars and lots of money. It soon becomes apparent, however, that Roman lives in squalor, he runs a failing taxi business and has mounting debts to various criminals from Liberty City's underworld, who have put a price on his head. Unaware of Niko's violent past, Roman had lied to convince his cousin to move to the city, not knowing that Niko would fight against his pursuers, and eventually be the one to turn his lies into a reality. It is also stated that Roman is motivated partially by his desire to see his cousin again. Niko, however, has underlying motivations for moving to Liberty City, which are revealed as the story unfolds. Although he is the main protagonist in only the original game, he also appears in The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony.