After months of speculation, we finally know exactly what improvements are coming to Grand Theft Auto V in its upcoming PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions on March 15. The news comes via the official Rockstar blog, where the developer shares specifics regarding graphical updates, character migration, and more.
Most notable among the current-gen console enhancements is a series of new graphics modes aimed at letting players tailor the experience to their own preferences. Fidelity Mode provides 4K resolution at 30 frames per second (fps) with ray tracing, while Performance Mode offers an upscaled 4K resolution with a targeted 60 fps. Lastly is Performance RT Mode, which acts as a combination of the other two modes, with upscaled 4K resolution, ray tracing, and a targeted 60 fps.
Rockstar stated that the new version of the game will also feature “increased population and traffic variety, increased vegetation density, improved lighting quality across shadows, water reflections, and other elements. Plus improved anti-aliasing, motion-blur, highly detailed new explosions, fire, and much more.”
Due to the SSD in both current-gen consoles, the game will also have considerably faster load times. Meanwhile, PS5 players can take advantage of the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback for deeper immersion.
Grand Theft Auto Online, the game’s immensely popular multiplayer sandbox, is also receiving a handful of quality-of-life improvements, including an updated main menu and a fresh intro and tutorial for new players. There is likely to be plenty of those, too, considering that GTA Online will be available as a stand-alone title going forward and will be free to download and keep for the first three months for PS5 users. Those who don’t get the game during that period will have to purchase it later, though Rockstar hasn’t shared pricing details yet.
Lastly, players will have the ability to transfer their GTA V and GTA Online characters from last-gen hardware to PS5 and Xbox Series X. There will even be an option to migrate to an entirely new platform. However, this will be a one-time move and will not be reversible.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of GTA V will be the third major release of the beloved open-world game. Its initial launch on PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2013 was followed by a remaster for PS4 and Xbox One in 2014. You can check out the new-gen version when it launches on March 15.
