Seven years — and multiple console generations — after its initial release, Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto 5 is still updated with new content to this day. While the title initially released with only its huge iconic Los Santos map and massive heist story mode adventure, the record-breaking title has expanded over the years to focus on a massive online mode which is still popular to this day.
Last week saw the release of the latest update to the popular GTA Online experience with the Cayo Perico Heist DLC , which Rockstar claimed as their “largest and most ambitious yet” adventure to date. The update featured plenty of new content to be experienced solo or with a team, including a new heist mission and a whole new offshore island to experience.
Despite having yet to receive an official confirmation of its development, Grand Theft Auto 6 is possibly the most anticipated game at the moment, with Rockstar's most recent release, Red Dead Redemption 2 , failing to hold the popularity of its predecessor.
NEWS
In an interview with GQ Magazine , Rockstar developers Tarek Hamad and Scott Butchard commented on their future plans for further single player experiences, including the Grand Theft Auto universe. When asked regarding their single players plans, Butchard commented:
“I think you can see that with Online and I think going forward we’re going to inject more of that single-player element in there”
And when asked if the team intend to continue developing single-player experiences in the Grand Theft Auto universe, Hamad teased: “Absolutely.”
WHAT THIS MEANS
The gaming world in 2020 is increasingly moving further and further towards online multiplayer-driven experiences as single-player titles continually get left behind in the industry. Even one of this year's most anticipated single-player story titles, Cyberpunk 2077 , has already announced its plans for a multiplayer experience in the years to come. Grand Theft Auto 5 never really put much focus into its story mode after release, receiving no significant content updates after launch despite years of rumors and speculation surrounding a story DLC.
The success of GTA Online had led many to believe that, when it came to developing its next title in the Grand Theft Auto universe, it was possible Rockstar may choose to leave behind the single-player aspect to put more focus on a larger online world. These comments appear to put these rumors to bed, which is sure to excite many Grand Theft Auto fans after the story mode and its three original protagonists — Michael, Trevor, and Franklin — proved to be extremely highly regarded and garnered numerous awards.
Grand Theft Auto 5 is available now on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and next-gen consoles via backwards compatibility — with a full upgraded version coming to PS5 in 2021.