At Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) global PlayStation 5 broadcast earlier this week, Rockstar Games revealed that Grand Theft Auto V would be coming to PlayStation 5. There’ll be a revamping of course – improved visuals and such – but ultimately it’s the same game that’s remained in the best selling chart since it’s original release back in 2013. That’s seven years ago.

Grand Theft Auto V screenshot

Grand Theft Auto V debuted on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 in the twilight years of that generation. One year later, the game also launched on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. That’s fair enough – a game of that magnitude would undoubtedly need to reach the largest audience possible to recoup investment. However, we’re now seven years since that launch and with no new Grand Theft Auto in sight, we’re now getting the same game, again.

Bethesda Softworks has received great criticism for the continued re-releases of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Since it’s debut in 2011, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has seen no less than 10 editions across PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. And that’s not taking into account budget repackages and digital collections.

Grand Theft Auto V will hit seven editions with the next-generation releases. Having launched two years later than The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, there’s still plenty of time for it to catch up with Bethesda Softworks’ most prolific title. Indeed, as it looks as though Rockstar Games has opted to ignore Xbox Series X’s Smart Delivery offering, the Xbox Series X edition will likely act as an entirely separate version.

The new generation versions of GTAV will feature a range of technical improvements, visual upgrades and performance enhancements to take full advantage of the latest hardware, making the game more beautiful and more responsive than ever.

Rockstar Games Press Release

In addition to a delicious new serving of the same game we’ve already played, it seems that Rockstar Games are keen to decouple Grand Theft Auto Online from Grand Theft Auto V, similar to how Capcom offered Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil Resistance as entirely separate products purchased simultaneously at retail.

Grand Theft Auto V screenshot

There will also be a new standalone version of GTA Online coming in the second half of 2021, which will be available for free exclusively for PlayStation 5 players during the first three months. 

Rockstar Games Press Release

A little bit of generosity there, but it remains to be seen exactly how much this standalone Grand Theft Auto Online will differ from the existing Grand Theft Auto Online. The wording suggests Rockstar Games have been keen to avoid calling it a sequel, and as such any additional or revamped content is likely to be on the lighter side.

Of course, only time will tell. Rockstar Games aren’t known for doing things by half measures, so there’s always hope that Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online for next-generation systems will offer plenty of new and interesting content.

And hey, Rockstar, how about a Nintendo Switch edition?

Categories: Entertainment Games