Number five is a live (service)
GTA as it is today: 2013-present
“Rockstar has been constantly improving and adding to GTA Online.”
GTA V was released in 2013. And 2014. And, er, also in 2022. We’re pretty sure that Rockstar is done making new versions though, if only because it’s run out of PlayStation consoles to make it for. The game’s certainly stood the test of time; the PS5 story mode is essentially identical to the original PS3 one – yet despite this, it very much feels like a current-gen experience.
We don’t have the space or the time to list everything the latest instalment introduced and improved, but multiple playable characters, the biggest map in the series to date, an optional firstperson perspective, and complex heist missions are certainly worth mentioning. Then, of course, there is GTA Online.
Grand Theft Auto Online, which launched a month after the offline component in 2013, initially suffered from severe technical issues and arguably limited content. It soon recovered, however, and Rockstar has been constantly improving and adding to it ever since. The repeated rereleases saw some casualties along the way, though; PS3 updates were stopped in 2015, and PS3 servers were shut down completely in 2021.
The game as it stands today is crammed with content, so much so that a standalone version was released earlier this year. It has a full story with expansions, players can race with one another, set up businesses, take part in multiplayer heists, enjoy stunt races, and more. Up to 30 people can play together, yet much of it can still be enjoyed as a solo experience. Is Rockstar’s dedication to GTA Online updates a sign of how important online features will be to the next game? Even if it’s not, each instalment has offered something new, and there’s no reason to think GTA VI will be any different.