The game world is navigated on foot and by vehicle, from either athird-person orfirst-person perspective. Players control the protagonists throughout single-player and switch among them, both during and outside missions. The story is centred on the heist sequences, and many missions involve shooting and driving gameplay. A "wanted" system governs the aggression of law enforcement response to players who commit crimes. InGrand Theft Auto Online, the game'sonline multiplayer mode, up to 30 players engage in a variety of differentcooperative and competitive game modes.
Shared between many of Rockstar's studios worldwide,the game's development began around the time ofGrand Theft Auto IV's release. The developers drew influence from many of their previous projects (such asRed Dead Redemption andMax Payne 3) and designed the game around three lead protagonists to innovate on the core structure of its predecessors. Much of the development work constituted the open world's creation, and several team members conducted field research around California to capture footage for the design team.The game's soundtrack features an original score composed by a team of producers who collaborated over several years.Grand Theft Auto V was released in September 2013 for thePlayStation 3 andXbox 360, in November 2014 for thePlayStation 4 andXbox One, in April 2015 forWindows, and in March 2022 for thePlayStation 5 andXbox Series X/S.
Extensively marketed and widely anticipated, the game broke industry sales records and became the fastest-selling entertainment product in history, earning$800 million in its first day and$1 billion in its first three days. It received critical acclaim, with praise directed at its multiple-protagonist design, open world, presentation and gameplay. However, its depiction of violence and women caused controversies. Severalgaming publications awarded the game year-end accolades includingGame of the Year awards. In retrospect, it is considered one ofseventh andeighth generation console gaming's most significant titles and among thebest video games ever made. It is thesecond-best-selling video game of all time with 225million copies shipped, and one of the most financially successful entertainment products of all time, with nearly$10 billion in worldwide revenue. Its successor,Grand Theft Auto VI, is scheduled to be released in November 2026.
Gameplay
Grand Theft Auto V is anaction-adventure game[2] played from either athird-person[3] orfirst-person perspective.[b] Players complete missions—linear scenarios with set objectives—to progress through the story.[5] Outside of the missions, players mayfreely roam theopen world. Composed of theSan Andreas open countryside area, and its fictional Blaine County and city of Los Santos, the world is much larger in area than earlier entries in the series.[6][c] It may be fully explored after the game's beginning without restriction, although story progress unlocks more gameplay content.[8]
Players can take cover behind objects during firefights to avoid taking damage from enemies.[9]
Players usemelee attacks, firearms and explosives to fight enemies,[d] and may run, jump, swim or use vehicles to navigate the world.[e] To accommodate the map's size, the game introduces vehicle types absent in its predecessorGrand Theft Auto IV, such asfixed-wing aircraft.[12] In combat,auto-aim and acover system may be used to assist against enemies.[9] Should players take damage, theirhealth meter will gradually regenerate to its halfway point.[f] Playersrespawn at hospitals when their health depletes.[11] If players commit crimes, law enforcement may respond as indicated by a "wanted" meter in theheads-up display (HUD).[13] Stars displayed on the meter indicate the current wanted level (for example, at the maximum five-star level, police helicopters andSWAT teams swarm to lethally dispatch players).[14][g] Officers will search for players who leave the wanted vicinity. The meter enters a cool-down mode and eventually recedes when players are hidden from the officers' line of sight that displays on themini-map for a period of time.[16][h]
In the single-player mode, players control three characters: Michael De Santa,Trevor Philips and Franklin Clinton—criminals whose stories interconnect as they complete missions. Some missions are completed with only one character and others feature two or three.[18] Outside the missions, players may switch between characters at will by a directional compass on the HUD, although this feature is restricted at certain points during the story. During missions, characters may automatically switch to complete specific objectives. A character's compassavatar will flash red if he is in danger and needs help, and flash white if he has a strategic advantage.[19] Though players complete missions with the protagonists, the more difficult heist missions require aid fromAI-controlled accomplices with unique skill sets like computer hacking and driving. If an accomplice survives a successful heist, they take a cut from the cash reward[20] and may be available for later missions with improvements to their unique skills.[21] Some heists afford multiple strategies; in aholdup mission, players may either stealthily subdue civilians with anincapacitating agent or conspicuously storm the venue with guns drawn.[22]
Each character has a set of eight skills that represent their ability in specific areas such as shooting and driving. Though skills improve through play, each character has a skill with expertise by default (e.g. Trevor's flying skill).[23] The eighth "special" skill determines proficiency in an ability that is unique to each respective character. Michael entersbullet time in combat, Franklin slows down time while driving, and Trevor deals twice as much damage to enemies while taking half as much in combat.[24] A meter on each character's HUD depletes when an ability is being used and regenerates when players perform skilful actions (for example,drifting in vehicles as Franklin or performingheadshots as Michael).[25]
While free-roaming the game world, players may engage in context-specific activities such asscuba diving andBASE jumping, and visit businesses such ascinemas andstrip clubs. Each character has asmartphone for contacting friends, starting activities and accessing an in-game Internet.[26] The Internet lets players trade in stocks via astock market.[27] Players may purchase properties such as garages and businesses, upgrade the weapons and vehicles in each character's arsenal, and customise their appearance by purchasing outfits, haircuts and tattoos.[28]
Plot
In 2004,[i] criminals Michael Townley, Trevor Philips, and Brad Snider partake in a failed robbery in Ludendorff, North Yankton, resulting in Michael being presumed dead. Nine years later, Michael lives with his family in the city of Los Santos under the alias Michael De Santa, having made a secret agreement with Federal Investigation Bureau (FIB)[j] agent Dave Norton to stay hidden. Across town, gangbanger Franklin Clinton works for a corrupt car salesman and meets Michael while attempting to fraudulentlyrepossess his son's car. The two later become friends. When Michael finds his wife sleeping with her tennis coach, he and Franklin chase the coach to a mansion, which Michael damages in anger. The owner,drug lord Martin Madrazo, demands monetary compensation, so Michael returns to a life of crime to obtain the funds, enlisting Franklin as an accomplice. With the help of Michael's old friend Lester Crest, a disabled hacker, they rob a jewellery store to pay off the debt. Meanwhile, Trevor, who lives in squalor in rural Blaine County, hears of the heist and recognises Michael's work; Trevor had believed the FIB killed Michael in the Ludendorff heist. Trevor finds Michael and reunites with him, forcing the latter to reluctantly accept the former back into his life.
As time goes on, the protagonists' lives spiral out of control. Michael's criminal behaviour prompts his family to leave him. When he later becomes amovie producer, he comes into conflict with Devin Weston, a billionaireventure capitalist andcorporate raider, who attempts to shut down the studio. Michael thwarts his efforts and inadvertently kills his lawyer, to which Devin vows revenge. Meanwhile, Franklin has to rescue his friend Lamar Davis from rival gangbanger Harold "Stretch" Joseph, who attempts to kill him multiple times. Concurrently, Trevor tries to consolidate his control over variousblack markets in Blaine County, waging war against the Lostoutlaw motorcycle club,Latino street gangs, rivalmeth dealers, theprivate military company Merryweather, andtriad kingpin Wei Cheng.
Having broken his agreement with Dave by committing robberies again, Michael is coerced by Dave and his superior, Steve Haines, to perform a series of operations alongside Franklin and Trevor to undermine the International Affairs Agency (IAA).[k] Under Steve's direction and with Lester's help, they attack anarmored car carrying funds for the IAA and steal an experimentalnerve agent from an IAA lab. As Steve comes under increasing scrutiny, he forces Michael and Franklin to break into the FIB building and erase evidence against him from the servers. Michael takes the opportunity to wipe the data on his own activities, destroying Steve's leverage over him.
After reconciling with his family, Michael starts planning his final heist with Trevor, Franklin, and Lester: raiding the Union Depository's gold bullion reserve. However, Trevor discovers that Brad was not imprisoned as he was led to believe, but killed during the Ludendorff heist and buried in the grave marked for Michael. Deducing the heist was a setup and that he was supposed to be killed in Brad's place, Trevor feels betrayed and leaves Michael for dead during a shootout with Cheng's henchmen. Although Franklin rescues Michael, Trevor's anger towards the latter causes friction within the group and threatens to undermine their plans. Meanwhile, Steve attempts to arrest Michael, but they both, alongside Dave, become caught in aMexican standoff between the FIB, the IAA, and Merryweather. Steve escapes while Michael and Dave are saved by Trevor, who believes only he has the right to kill Michael.
The Union Depository heist is successful, but Franklin is afterwards approached by Steve and Dave, who contend that Trevor is a liability, and Devin, still seeking vengeance on Michael. Franklin has three options: kill Trevor, kill Michael, or attempt to save both in asuicide mission. Should Franklin choose to kill either Michael or Trevor, his relationship with the other ceases, and he returns to his old life.[31][32] Otherwise, the trio, aided by Lamar and Lester, withstand an onslaught from the FIB and Merryweather before going on to kill Cheng, Stretch, Steve, and Devin. Michael and Trevor reconcile, and the three protagonists cease working together but remain friends.[33]
Rockstar North began to developGrand Theft Auto V in 2008, aroundGrand Theft Auto IV's release.[34] The development team totalled more than 1,000 people, including Rockstar North's core team and staff from parent companyRockstar Games' studios around the world.[35] The proprietaryRockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE) was overhauled for the game to improve itsdraw distance rendering capabilities.[36] TheEuphoria andBullet software handle additional animation and rendering tasks.[37] Having become familiar with thePlayStation 3 andXbox 360 hardware over time, Rockstar found they were able to push the consoles' graphical capabilities further than in previous games.[38] Analyst estimations place the game's combined development and marketing budget at more than£170 million (US$265 million), which would make it themost expensive game ever made at that time.[39][l]
The open world was modelled onSouthern California andLos Angeles,[41] and its design and in-game render constituted much of the game's early work.[42] Key members of the game world production team took field research trips throughout the region and documented their research with photo and video footage.[38]Google Maps projections of Los Angeles were used by the team to help design Los Santos's road networks.[43][44] To reflect and reproduce Los Angeles's demographic spread, the developers studied census data and watched documentaries about the city.[36] The team considered creating the open world the most technically demanding aspect of the game's production.[45]
A fundamental design goal from the outset was to innovate onthe series' core structure by giving players control of three lead protagonists instead of one.[42] The idea was first raised duringGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas' development, but contemporaneous hardware restrictions made it infeasible.[34] Having developed twoGrand Theft Auto IV episodic expansion packs featuring new protagonists in 2009, the team wanted to baseGrand Theft Auto V around three simultaneously controlled protagonists.[12] The team viewed it as a spiritual successor to many of their previous games (such asGrand Theft Auto IV,Red Dead Redemption andMax Payne 3), and designed it to improve upon their gameplay mechanics.[19][46] They sought to improve the action gameplay by refining the shooting mechanics and cover system[47] and reworked the driving mechanics to correctGrand Theft Auto IV's awkward vehicle controls.[48]
Fonteno, Luke, and Ogg(pictured in 2024) portray the game's three protagonists, Franklin Clinton, Michael De Santa, andTrevor Philips, respectively.[49]
After an audition process,Ned Luke,Shawn Fonteno andSteven Ogg were selected to portray Michael, Franklin and Trevor, respectively.[49] Their performances were mostly recorded usingmotion capture technology,[50] but dialogue for scenes with characters seated in vehicles was recorded in studios instead.[51] The game'soriginal score was composed by a team of producers who collaborated over several years.[52] Licensed music provided by an in-game radio is also used.[53] The team licensed more than 241 tracks shared between fifteen radio stations, with an additional two stations providingtalk radio.[m] Some of the tracks were written specifically for the game, such as rapper and producerFlying Lotus' original work composed for the FlyLo FM radio station he hosts.[55]
Release
Rockstar Games announced the game on 25 October 2011.[56] They released its debut trailer one week later,[57] with an official press release acknowledging its setting.[58] Journalists noted the widespread industry anticipation ignited by the announcement, which they owed to the series' cultural significance.[59][60][61] The game missed its original projected Q2 2013 release date, pushed back to 17 September to allow for further polishing.[62] To spurpre-order game sales, Rockstar collaborated with several retail outlets to make aspecial edition with extra in-game features.[63] They ran aviral marketing strategy with a website for a fictional religious cult, "The Epsilon Program", that offered users the chance to feature in the game as members of the cult.[64]
A comparison of thePlayStation 4 (left) and PlayStation 3 versions of the game. The enhanced re-release features greater draw distances and higher-resolution textures than the original versions.[65]
A re-release of the game was announced forPlayStation 4,Windows (PC), andXbox One atE3 2014. This enhanced version features an increased draw distance, finer texture details, denser traffic, upgraded weather effects, and new wildlife and vegetation.[65] It includes a new on-foot first-person view option, which required the development team to overhaul the animation system to accommodate first-person gameplay.[4] The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions were released on 18 November 2014.[66] The PC version, initially scheduled for simultaneous release with the console versions,[65] was delayed until 14 April 2015.[67] According to Rockstar, it required extra development time for "polish".[68] The PC version is capable of 60frames per second gameplay at4K resolution, and the Rockstar Editor lets players capture and edit gameplay videos.[69]
A new version, commonly referred to as "Expanded & Enhanced", was announced in June 2020.[73] Released on 15 March 2022 forPlayStation 5 andXbox Series X/S,[74] it features technical enhancements and performance updates.[73] A trailer released for the new version in September 2021 was met with negativity, becoming one of the most-disliked videos onPlayStation'sYouTube channel;[75] journalists noted that fans were frustrated by Rockstar's continued focus on the game instead of other projects such as a newGrand Theft Auto game, as well as a lack of apparent new features demonstrated in the trailer.[76][77][78][79] The PC version received the enhancements in a free update on 4 March 2025.[80]
Developed in tandem with the single-player mode, the online multiplayer modeGrand Theft Auto Online was conceived as a separate experience to be played in a continually evolving world.[81] Up to 30 players[n] freely roam across the game world and enter lobbies to complete jobs (story-driven competitive and cooperative modes).[82] The Content Creator toolset lets players create their own parameters for custom jobs, like racetracks anddeathmatch weaponspawn points.[83] Players may band together in organised player teams called crews to complete jobs together.Rockstar Games Social Club extends crews formed inMax Payne 3's multiplayer mode to those ofGrand Theft Auto Online. Players may create their own crews and join up to five total. Crews win multiplayer matches to earnexperience points and climbonline leaderboards.[84]
Grand Theft Auto Online launched on 1 October 2013, two weeks afterGrand Theft Auto V's release.[85] Many players reported connection difficulties and game freezes during load screens.[86][87] Rockstar released a technical patch on 5 October in an effort to resolve the issues,[88] but problems persisted the second week as some players reported their character progress as having disappeared.[89] Another technical patch was released on 10 October combating the issues,[90] and Rockstar offered a GTA$500,000 (in-game currency) stimulus to the accounts of all players connected toOnline since launch as recompense.[91] Because of the widespread technical issues present at launch, many reviewers bemoaned theirGrand Theft Auto Online experience but generally recognised its open-ended exploration and dynamic content as strengths.[92][93][94][95][96][excessive citations]
Post-release content is continually added toGrand Theft Auto Online through free title updates. Some updates add new game modes and features,[97][98] and others feature themed gameplay content, such as theIndependence Day Special update that added patriotic-themed content on 1 July 2014.[99] The widely anticipated[100][101] Online Heists update launched on 10 March 2015 and suffered some initial technical difficulties due to the increased user load.[102] Shortly after the game's PC release, some players reported being banned fromGrand Theft Auto Online for usingfield of view and cosmeticmods in single-player.[103] Rockstar stated in their official blog that nobody had been banned fromOnline for using single-player mods, but that recent updates to the PC version had the "unintentional effect" of making such mods unplayable. They stated that mods are unauthorised and may cause unforeseen technical problems and instabilities.[104]
Grand Theft Auto V received "universal acclaim" from critics, according to review aggregatorMetacritic, based on 50 reviews for the PlayStation 3 version[105] and 58 reviews for the Xbox 360 version.[106] The game is Metacritic's fifth-highest rated, tied with several others.[117] Reviewers liked the multiple lead character formula,[109][113][118] heist mission design[119][120][121] and presentation,[16][115][122] but some did not agree on the quality of the story and characters.[108][114][116][123]IGN calledGrand Theft Auto V "one of the very best video games ever made",[113] andPlay considered it "generation-defining" and "exceptional".[115]Edge wrote that it is a "remarkable achievement" in open-world design and storytelling,[124] whileThe Daily Telegraph declared it a "colossal feat of technical engineering".[125] It became the second-ever western-developed game to be awarded a perfect score from the Japanese video game magazineFamitsu, afterThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.[126]
CNET felt that the game encouraged players to engage with all three characters.[127]Edge found that switching players helped avoid long travel times to mission start points.[118] Because of the switching mechanic,Game Informer noted that players are kept "in the thick of the action" during shootouts.[109]Eurogamer wrote that switching added a tactical element to shootouts as characters set up in strategic outposts would cause fewer "shooting gallery" situations than previous instalments.[108]IGN felt the switching feature gave players more choice in their approach and made missions less predictable.[113]
Giant Bomb considered the heist missions a welcome deviation from series typical mission structure.[119]Eurogamer likened them to "blockbuster set-pieces",[108] andGameSpot cited the 1995 filmHeat as a stylistic influence on their design.[111]Joystiq felt creativity and methodical approaches were encouraged.[114]Polygon likened rapid character switching during heist missions to "film editing, with the player serving as editor, switching rapidly to the most interesting perspective for any moment".[120]Computer and Video Games felt that overall mission design was more diverse than and lacked the escort errands of its predecessors.[121]
Los Santos, the city featured in the game's open world. Reviewers praised its design and similarity to Los Angeles.[16][108][128] The departure fromGrand Theft Auto IV's Liberty City was well received.[113][122]
Edge praised the game's graphical fidelity and absence ofload screens.[118]Play complimented the draw distances and weather and lighting systems.[115] InEurogamer's view, the lighting system was the game's most significant advancement.[108]Official Xbox Magazine (OXM) thought that the game was "probably the Xbox 360's greatest technical achievement", and was surprised that the open world could render on the console.[123] Reviewers lauded the open-world design and its streamlining of Los Angeles's geography into a well-designed city space.[16][108]GameTrailers considered the Los Angeles emulation authentic and the open world "full of voice and personality".[128]IGN andPlayStation Official Magazine (OPM) made favourable comparisons between Los Santos andGrand Theft Auto IV's Liberty City.[113][122]OXM felt Los Santos surpassed the "grey and gritty" Liberty City.[123] Reviewers praised the world's satire of contemporary American culture[16][108][113][114][121][excessive citations]—OPM opined that "the scathing social commentary is, of course, present and correct".[122]
Destructoid called the sound design "impeccable" and praised the actors' performances, original soundtrack and licensed music use.[16]IGN andGiant Bomb commended the music selection and felt that the original score enhanced dramatic tension during missions.[113][119]GameSpot wrote that the score "lends missions more cinematic flavour".[111]Edge said that the licensed music enhanced the city's "already remarkable sense of space" and that the original score improved the atmosphere of the gameplay. They summarised the game as "a compendium of everything Rockstar has learnt about the power of game music in the past decade".[129]
Many reviewers found the land-based vehicles more responsive and easier to control than in previous games.[111][115][122][123][124][excessive citations]Game Informer explained that "cars have a proper sense of weight, while retaining the agility necessary for navigating through traffic at high speeds".[109] In addition to the vehicle handling, most reviewers noted the shooting mechanics were tighter than they had been in previous games,[109][111][113] butDestructoid felt that in spite of the improvements, auto-aim was "twitchy and unreliable" and cover mechanics "still come off as dated and unwieldy".[16] Some reviewers felt the game solved a persistent problem by adding mid-missioncheckpoints.[108][113][125]
The story and characters—particularly Trevor—polarised reviewers. Some found the narrative inferior to previous Rockstar games and citedGrand Theft Auto IV andRed Dead Redemption's plot strengths.[108][109][114][123] Others thought the protagonists' contrasting personalities tightened the narrative's pacing.[16][113][118][120]GamesRadar thought the game negated the story inconsistencies and muddled morality of previous series entries.[112] Trevor was considered a particularly "horrible, terrifying, psychotic human being—and a terrific character" byGameSpot.[111]Eurogamer found Trevor "shallow and unconvincing", and that his eccentricities hurt the narrative and overshadowed Michael and Franklin's character development.[108]Joystiq faulted the protagonists' perceived lack of likability, as the conflict between Michael and Trevor grew into a "seemingly endless cycle".[114]The Escapist had difficulty connecting with the characters' emotions since they acted out of greed with no sense of morality and thus gave players little reason to support them.[116]
Grand Theft Auto V's re-release, similarly, received critical acclaim. It is the highest-rated PlayStation 4 and Xbox One game on Metacritic alongside Rockstar'sRed Dead Redemption 2,[143][144] and the second-highest rated PC game alongside several others.[145]
Game Informer considered the addition of first-person "another significant breakthrough for the series" in the vein ofGrand Theft Auto III's shift to third-person fromGrand Theft Auto's bird's-eye view.[137]GameSpot found that playing in first-person heightened the impact ofGrand Theft Auto V's violence, which made him reflect on morality and character motivation more than before.[136]VideoGamer.com opined that players feel like inhabitants of the world, rather than "guns attached to a floating camera".[141] The first-person view, inIGN's opinion, aided immersion and created a "surprisingly different experience".[138]VideoGamer.com praised the "finer details" in first-person animations like camera lean when players take corners on motorcycles, or the navigational instruments in plane cockpits.[141] Reviewers found playing the game more difficult in first-person,[136][138] butGame Informer preferred the challenge.[137]
GameSpot thought the improved graphics andspatial anti-aliasing made the open world "even more spectacular". They said that in first-person "everything looks bigger and more imposing".[136]IGN favoured the PlayStation 4 version's graphics over the Xbox One but thought both consoles rendered the game well and maintained mostly consistent frame rates.[138] They praised the increased frame rate and graphics options offered in the PC version.[146]VideoGamer.com called the console version's frame rate so consistent it was "scarcely believable",[141] althoughGameSpot cited occasional frame rate dips.[136] They opined that the PC version let players "witness the full extent of Rockstar's admirable handiwork", but noted that it "retains evidence of itslast-gen roots ... with simple geometry".[136]VideoGamer.com praised the Rockstar Editor's accessibility on PC but criticised some of its limitations and camera angle restrictions.[142]IGN appreciated the PC version's customisable controls,[146] andGameSpot felt that constant switching between the mouse and keyboard and a gamepad was necessary for "the best experience".[136]PC Gamer called the game "the most beautiful, expansive and generous" of the series.[140]
On the game's multiplayer,IGN reported low player counts in matches, long wait times in lobbies, server disconnection and occasional crashes. "Because of that," they wrote, "I can't strongly recommend ... the multiplayer experience alone".[138]VideoGamer.com found online character progression streamlined by comparison with the original version. According to them, the "grind of just doingPvP until co-op Jobs arrive with regularity"[141] was lost, and newcomers would likely find multiplayer enjoyable and balanced. However, they wrote of frequent server disconnection, especially during load screens.[141]GameSpot thought the online mode was fun but "still suffers from a lack of direction" for its open-ended and frenetic gameplay.[136]Game Informer reported "minimal lag or issues in the expanded firefights and races".[137]
The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series releases received tepid responses from critics, who questioned the value proposition of a new version of the ageing title. While the improved visual fidelity and quicker loading times were singled out for praise, reviewers generally found the core gameplay, storytelling and character models dated.[147][148][149][150]Hardcore Gamer thought the lack of new content made the upgrade difficult to recommend to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players.[147]GamingBolt was apathetic towards the visual enhancements but praised the increased accessibility forOnline newcomers.[148]Jeuxvideo.com thought the release offered the supreme console experience and highlighted the improved graphics and load times.[149]Push Square faulted the antiquated humour but thought the visual and technical enhancements gave the "sunny sandbox a new lease of life".[150]
Various in-game elements were recognised with awards. Trevor was named Best Character for theOfficial Xbox Magazine's Game of the Year Awards 2013,[167] while Lamar Davis won the Best New Character award fromGiant Bomb.[168] The music received awards from Spike VGX,[158]Hardcore Gamer[169] andThe Daily Telegraph.[170]Grand Theft Auto Online won Best Multiplayer fromGameTrailers,[171] and BAFTA,[166] and Best Xbox 360 Multiplayer fromIGN.[172]Online was also nominated for Biggest Disappointment byGame Revolution[173] andHardcore Gamer.[174]Grand Theft Auto V won Best Technical Achievement in theTelegraph Video Game Awards,[170] and Best Technology at the 14th AnnualGame Developers Choice Awards.[175] The graphical and artistic design received awards fromIGN,[176]The Daily Telegraph[170] and BAFTA,[166] and a nomination at the Game Developers Choice Awards.[175] TheAcademy of Interactive Arts & Sciences awarded the game withOutstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering, signifying "the highest level of achievement for engineeringartificial intelligence and related elements which contribute to a challenging game".[177]
The game received numerous other awards. It was awarded the title of Most Immersive Game at the Inside Gaming Awards.[157] The general public voted for the game to win the User Choice Award at the PlayStation Awards 2013[178] and the Community Choice award fromDestructoid.[179] The game received the Platinum Award at the PlayStation Awards[178] and was named the Best British Game from BAFTA.[166] AtIGN's Best of 2013 Awards, it earned multiple wins, including Best Xbox 360 Graphics,[176] Best Xbox 360 Sound,[180] and Best Action Game on Xbox 360,[163] PlayStation 3[181] and overall.[182]
The mission "By the Book" requires players to use torture techniques includingwaterboarding to interrogate a man. Journalists noted the mission's function as political commentary, but some felt that the use of torture was in poor taste.[111][113][120]
The mission "By the Book", which requires players to use torture equipment in a hostageinterrogation, unsettled reviewers. They noted its political commentary onthe use of torture by the United States government but found the sequence to be in poor taste.[113][120]GameSpot felt that placing the torture scene in context with an analogous monologue by Trevor created a hypocrisy in the mission's function as a commentary device.[111]Eurogamer felt the close-up camera andquick time events accentuated the sequence's impact beyond the violence depicted in previousGrand Theft Auto games, and considered the sequence lacking enough context to justify its violence.[198] The mission received criticism from politicians and anti-torture charity groups.[199] Independent journalist Tom Chick defended the torture sequence, and wrote that unlikeCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's "No Russian" mission or the 2012 filmZero Dark Thirty, the underlying political commentary on torture in "By the Book" necessitated the violent content.[30] The torture gameplay was cut from the Japanese release.[200][201]
Several reviewers found the game's portrayal of womenmisogynistic;[120][202]VG247 wrote the female characters were "either there to be rescued, shouted at, fucked, to be seen fucking, put up with, killed, heard prattling away like dullards on their mobile phones or shopping".[203]Edge noted the game treated its all-male lead characters in a similar vein through their stereotyped tendencies towards violence.[124] AfterGameSpot's Carolyn Petit claimed the game was misogynistic, her review was met with backlash as users responded with 20,000 largely negative comments on the webpage and aChange.org petition for her firing.[204] Many journalists defended her right to an opinion and lamented the gaming community's defensiveness towards criticism.[205][206]
Australian department storesTarget andKmart pulled the game from their stores in December 2014 after a Change.org petition against depictions of violence towards women in the game amassed over 40,000 signatures.[207][208]Take-Two Interactive chief operating officerStrauss Zelnick publicly expressed the company's disappointment that the game had been pulled from the retailers, and affirmed that he "stand[s] behind our products, the people who create them, and the consumers who play them".[207]IGN called the Change.org petition "misinformed", stating that its complaints about incentives for committing sexual violence in the game are untrue. Sexual violence in games is forbidden by theAustralian Classification Board, meaning the game would have been refused classification.[209]Kotaku said that the depiction of women is inherently problematic, and that Target were within their rights to refuse to stock the game and were obligated to respond to the petition's wide support.[210]
Petit (writing forKotaku) and online anti-harassment activist Ben Colliver criticised the game's depiction oftransgender characters assex workers with primarily muscular bodies, describing it as harmfultransphobic stereotypes;[211][212] Colliver wrote that the representation "does not reflect the complex, nuanced structures that often regulate transgender people's lives".[211] The April 2022 re-release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S removed the content from all portions of the game except Director Mode, meaning their models are accessible but without dialogue options. Some journalists recognised the removal may have been prompted by anopen letter written byLGBTQ+ advocacy group Out Making Games, who requested the removal after reading Petit's article. The group praised Rockstar's decision to remove the content.[213][214][215]
In October 2013, rapperDaz Dillinger issued a cease and desist letter to Rockstar Games and Take Two Interactive for allegedly using two of his songs without authorisation.[216][o] In February 2014, television personality Karen Gravano of the reality television programmeMob Wives filed suit against Rockstar Games in allegation that a character in the game is based on her likeness and story and was depicted without her consent.[217][p] Rockstar filed to dismiss Gravano's lawsuit in April, and stated that the allegations are foreclosed by theFirst Amendment.[218] In July, actressLindsay Lohan filed a lawsuit, claiming elements in the game, including the Lacey Jonas character, were influenced by her image, voice and clothing line without permission.[219] Rockstar responded in court papers that sought a dismissal of the case, saying that the case was frivolous and filed for publicity purposes.[220] In 2016, both lawsuits were dismissed.[221]
Sales
Within 24 hours of its release,Grand Theft Auto V generated more thanUS$815 million in worldwide revenue, equating to approximately 11.21million copies sold for Take-Two Interactive.[222][q] The numbers nearly doubled analysts' expectations for the title.[224][225] Three days after its release, the game had surpassed one billion dollars in sales, making it the fastest-selling entertainment product in history.[226][r] Six weeks after its release, Rockstar had shipped nearly 29million copies of the game to retailers, exceeding the lifetime figures ofGrand Theft Auto IV.[228] On 7 October 2013, the game became the best-selling digital release onPlayStation Store for PlayStation 3, breaking the previous record set byThe Last of Us, though numerical sales figures were not disclosed.[229][230] It broke sevenGuinness World Records on 8 October: best-selling video game in 24 hours, best-selling action-adventure video game in 24 hours, highest-grossing video game in 24 hours, fastest entertainment property to grossUS$1 billion, fastest video game to grossUS$1 billion, highest revenue generated by an entertainment product in 24 hours, and most viewed trailer for an action-adventure video game.[2]
A digital version was released on 18 October for the Xbox 360,[231] which went on to become the highest-grossing day-one and week-one release onXbox Live.[232] By May 2014, the game had generated nearlyUS$1.98 billion in revenue.[233] As of August 2014, the game had sold-in over 34million units to retailers for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.[234] By December 2014, the game had shipped 45million copies, including 10million copies of the re-released version.[235] By April 2018,MarketWatch reported the game had generated about$6 billion and was the most profitable entertainment product of all time;[236][237] it had nearly sold around 100 million copies by July 2018,[238] and by July 2021, it had shipped over 150 million copies.[239] More copies were sold in 2020 than any other year since the game's launch in 2013.[240] By late 2023,Barron's reported the game's lifetime revenue figures had increased to$8.5 billion, consistently generating over $500 million annually with about 22 million monthly active players;[241] by December 2025, the game had shipped 225million copies worldwide across all platforms.[242] In May 2025,The Hindu reported that the game had generated nearly$10 billion in revenue since its release.[243]
In the United Kingdom, the game became the all-time fastest-selling game, selling more than 2.25million copies in five days. This broke the record set byCall of Duty: Black Ops at two million copies over the same period. It broke the day one record by selling 1.57million copies and generating £65million.[244] In two weeks, the game sold more than 2.6million copies and generated £90million, which accounted for 52% of games sold in September 2013.[245] After three weeks on sale, it beatGrand Theft Auto IV's lifetime sales in the United Kingdom.[246] In its fourth week, it became the fastest-selling title to break the three million barrier in the UK, thus overtakingBlack Ops II's lifetime sales.[247] In November 2014, the game became the best-selling game of all time in the UK, overtakingBlack Ops.[248] The game was similarly successful in North America: it was the best selling game in September, representing over 50% of software sales[249] and boosting overall software sales by 52% compared to September 2012.[250]
Legacy
Critics agreed thatGrand Theft Auto V was amongseventh-generation console gaming's best[27] and a great closing title before theeighth generation's emergence.[251][252]Polygon observed that the game would "bridge between games' present and the future", and declared it "the closure of this generation, and the benchmark for the next".[120] Kyle Prahl ofPlayStation Universe felt that the game "gives this console generation the send-off it deserves",[253] andVideoGamer.com considered it "the ultimateswansong for this console cycle" that would "cast a long shadow over the next".[254] Three days after its release, the game ranked second onIGN''s "Top 25 Xbox 360 Games" list. They considered that the open world's scale and detail succeeded the majority of other Xbox 360 games. They called the game "a triumph both for gamers and for the medium itself, and it deserves its runaway success".[255] In November 2013,Hardcore Gamer placed the game third on their "Top 100 Games of the Generation" list. They cited its improved shooting and driving mechanics over its predecessors, and considered the multiple protagonist design "a welcome change of pace" that could become an eighth-generation gaming benchmark.[256] In December,The Daily Telegraph listed the game among their "50 best games of the console generation". They called it a "cultural behemoth" that "will be Rockstar's lasting legacy".[257]
In January 2014,Computer and Video Games ranked the game fourth on their "Games of the Generation" list. They said that for the first time, Rockstar created an "utterly beautiful" open world. They found that the game did away withGrand Theft Auto IV's repetitive mission design and focused instead on fun gameplay.[258] In May,IGN ranked it eighth on their "Top 100 Games of a Generation" list and called it a "huge, raucous, and wildly ambitious bridge towards the [eighth] generation of console gaming".[259] The next month, it placed third onIGN's "Games of a Generation: Your Top 100" list as voted by the site's readers.[260] In August,Game Informer ranked it third on their "Top 10 Action Games Of The Generation" list. They compared the game's quality to that of its predecessor but thought that its ensemble character set-up, varied missions and multiplayer supersededGrand Theft Auto IV's placement on the list. They wrote of the story's absurd drama and the open world's vastness, and did not "regret a single second" spent playing the game.[261] In November,Edge named it the fifth-best game of its generation and commented that "no other game studio is even daring to attempt an open world game in its tradition because there is simply no possibility of measuring up to [its] standards."[262] In 2015, the publication rated it the second-greatest video game of all time.[263]
The game ranked high on several best game lists determined by the public; it featured eighth onEmpire's "100 Greatest Video Games Of All Time" list, and fifth onGood Game's "Top 100 Games" list, as voted by the magazine and programme's respective audiences.[264][265]Grand Theft Auto V was the mosttweeted game of 2015, despite being released over a year earlier.[266] In 2025,Rolling Stone ranked it the third-best game, citing its "profound effect" on the medium.[267] According toCircana senior director Mat Piscatella, the game was the third-most-played game onPlayStation in the United States in both 2024 and 2025.[268]
Development ofGrand Theft Auto VI was confirmed by Rockstar in February 2022;[269] the game was formally revealed in December 2023[270] and is currently scheduled to be released in November 2026.[271]
Use in research
The game was used in a study by Intel Labs where they presented an approach for enhancing its graphics usingneural networks.[272][273]
^Media analyst Arvind Bhatia estimated that the development budget exceededUS$137 million.[40]The Scotsman reporter Marty McLaughlin estimated that the combined budget of the development and marketing efforts exceeded£170 million (US$265 million).[39]
^The PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One versions add another 162 tracks to the in-game radio.[54]
^The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions ofGrand Theft Auto Online allowed up to 16 concurrent players,[82] while all other versions allow up to 30 concurrent players.[66]
^Rockstar North (17 September 2013).Grand Theft Auto V (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360).Rockstar Games.Mission: "The Paleto Score" Trevor: "Mikey, bro, what was your first bank score?" Michael: "Eighty-eight, outskirts of Carcer City. Took a small franchise for ten G. Things were easier back then." Trevor: "Twenty-five years ago. Jesus."
^Prahl, Kyle (21 September 2013)."Grand Theft Auto V Review". PlayStation Universe.Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved19 October 2013.
![A man is strapped to an overturned chair with a cloth concealing his face. Player character Trevor stands over him with a canister, about to pour water on his face. A text prompt in the upper left-hand corner reads "Hold [left stick] to pour water."](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aGrand_Theft_Auto_V_torture_sequence.jpg)
