GTA V next gen will be more than just a simple port

Grand Theft Auto V is a monster, there is no other way to put it. Despite releasing all the way back in 2013, it’s still a regular top-selling game the world over. It has sold an astonishing 140+ million copies across two generations, across multiple platforms and it has made developer Rockstar and publisher Take-Two an absolute bucket load of cash along the way. Not to mention GTA Online has taken on a life of its own and enthrals millions of gamers the world over with its ever-expanding world and gameplay.

Nevertheless, when Sony ran its first big PS5 conference last year and it opened up with a GTA V trailer, there was a collective groan. For some, maybe GTA V just isn’t their bag, but for others yet another port of GTA V means that the eventual sequel is even further away. Then there are those that are just sick of it being a constant in media coverage and sales charts. At this rate, the industry may as well issue the title to baby gamers on their 18th birthday.

So when GTA V finally launches on PS5 and Series S/X later this year, will it be more of the same? During a recent strategy teleconference with Morgan Stanley, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick reassured fans that the upcoming release will not be just a simple port of the last-gen title. Saying in a quote “We’ve done differently than the competition – we don’t just port titles over, we actually take the time to do the very best job we can making the title different for the new release, for the new technology that we’re launching it on.”

The team are confident that PS5 and Series S/X owners will get the experience they are hoping for and that it is something fans should be excited about. There is no doubt that GTA V is a fantastic game, but there are only so many times that you can play through the main story. For many players, the key feature is GTA Online which has grown exponentially over the years adding new features, areas and vehicles expanding the GTA V universe far beyond the core single-player experience. When it made its transition between platforms last generation this was the feature that benefited the most.

Despite the success of GTA Online, the title, gameplay and world are still almost 8 years old and in my view will need some significant updates and enhancements to make a successful jump to a new generation. But if Rockstar can pull it off and take their player base with them we could be seeing GTA V on the sales charts for years to come.

To be fair, remakes and remasters are not things Rockstar does all that often. But some of their older titles, specifically Grand Theft Auto San Andreas is a perfect candidate. It was a fantastic game at the time and even to this day features the largest open world of the series, spanning an entire state and featuring three large cities not to mention forests, deserts and a tonne of water/rivers etc.

As much as I enjoy playing GTA Online, I do want something fresh be it a sequel or a full-on remake of one of the earlier games. That said, I will still buy the next-gen GTA V on day one, and I bet millions of others will as well.