Rockstar adds details for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S GTA V and GTA Online launches

Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online are coming to the new consoles on March 15, and Rockstar games is filling in some of the details on the new editions.

The new versions for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S will deliver “a host of improvements” for new and returning players, Rockstar said. The launch is a big deal, as GTA V has sold more than 160 million copies over the past decade.

The new content includes streamlined onboarding including the new GTA Online Career Builder and more exclusive content featuring the auto-tuning experts at Hao’s Special Works, plus details on cross-gen migration for both Story and Online progress.

These new versions will introduce high-end PC visuals to the console experience with new graphics modes featuring up to 4K resolution, a frame rate of up to 60 frames per second, improved texture quality, HDR options, and ray tracing — as well as utilizing the technical advancements of the latest console hardware for faster loading times, immersive 3D audio, support for platform-specific features, and more.

Grand Theft Auto V

Players will be able to experience the interwoven stories of Franklin, Michael, and Trevor across the sun-soaked metropolis of Los Santos and the backwoods countryside of Blaine County in greater detail than ever before with levels of visual detail.

You can choose from one of three detailed new graphics settings to tailor your gameplay experience. Fidelity Mode is tuned for the highest visual quality and targets 30 FPS. In this mode, the PS5 and Xbox Series X support native 4K resolution with ray tracing enabled while the Xbox Series S supports upscaled 4K resolution.

Performance Mode is tuned for the most responsive gameplay experience and targets 60 FPS. In this mode, the PS5 and Xbox Series X support upscaled 4K resolution while the Xbox Series S supports a resolution of 1080p. In addition, the PS5 and Xbox Series X have Performance RT mode, a hybrid of the Fidelity and Performance modes supporting upscaled 4K resolution with Ray Tracing enabled and targeting 60 FPS.

These new versions also offer across-the-board improvements including faster loading times, increased population and traffic variety, increased vegetation density, improved lighting quality across shadows, water reflections, and other elements. And they will have improved anti-aliasing, motion-blur, highly detailed new explosions, and fire.

Haptic Feedback and dynamic resistance via the Adaptive Triggers on PS5’s DualSense wireless controller also add new sensations to weather effects, directional damage, rough road surfaces, and explosions. Platform-specific features also include immersive audio using Tempest 3D positional audio on PS5 and Spatial Sound on Xbox Series X|S.

Grand Theft Auto Online

GTA Online now has eight years of gameplay additions delivered across over 40 unique updates. And it will continue to evolve with PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. This new generation of GTA Online includes a range of new vehicles and a new addition to the Los Santos Car Meet: Hao’s Special Works.

Hao’s Special Works encompasses best-in-class vehicle upgrades, a new class of races using specially modified vehicles, and a weekly rotation of Hao’s Special Works Time Trials, along with a Premium Test Ride, where you can get behind the wheel of these newly modified vehicles for free.

In addition to access being included as part of GTAV, GTA Online will also now be available for the first time as a standalone title for PS5 5 and Xbox Series X|S. For the first three months from launch, GTA Online will be available to download and keep for free for PS5 players.

New players might need more help to survive, so Rockstar is introducing a new Career Builder feature designed expressly for new players – or anyone who wants to reset their character and get a fresh start – to get an introductory leg up in the criminal world of Southern San Andreas. With this system, you get a GTA$4,000,000 windfall to select essentials including business properties, vehicles, and weapons.

Furthermore, GTA Online for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S has an assortment of quality of life improvements, including a newly designed introduction and tutorial for new players, a new front-end main mMenu that allows you to jump directly into Freemode, Heists, Races, Adversary Modes, and the latest featured weekly event content.

Story mode and GTA Online character transfers

PS4 and Xbox One players will be able to transfer both their GTA V Story Mode progress and their current GTA Online characters and progression to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, or across console platforms, with a one-time migration for each.

Starting today, players can begin transferring their Story Mode progress by uploading a save to the Rockstar Games Social Club. To begin this process, enter GTA V on your current console account and go to the Game tab of the Pause Menu. From there, select the Upload Save Game option. You can only store one game save per platform at a time and saves will remain available to download for 90 days.

Players with a Rockstar Games Social Club account will also be able to migrate their GTA Online character progress to PS5 or Xbox Series X|S on March 15 upon loading up the game on either of these new consoles. This migration includes any Characters, GTA$, Progression, Stats, Vehicles, Properties, Weapons, Clothing, and Player-Created Jobs.

Players will only be able to transfer their purchased GTA$ when migrating from PS4 to PS5, or from Xbox One to Xbox Series X|S.

Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online will be available digitally on March 15 through the PlayStation 5 console store and the Microsoft Store — with pre-purchase and pre-load beginning on March 8 — and physical releases coming in April. Stay tuned for more details.