Which grand theft auto game introduced the most new characters?

The only verified source available discusses Grand Theft Auto IV, a 2008 action‑adventure title set in Liberty City. It describes the game's setting, perspective, and narrative focus on Niko Bellic, but it does not provide any information about the number of new characters introduced in this or any other series entry. Without comparative data or mention of character counts from other games, it is impossible to determine which installment introduced the most new characters based solely on the current evidence.