Given how it is one of the best-selling game series of all time, it seemed pretty obvious that Rockstar would be making a new Grand Theft Auto, especially given some of the rumors. The developer has just recently confirmed that inevitability by saying that the next GTA game is in “active development.” It was a dual-pronged announcement as Rockstar also revealed the release date for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions of Grand Theft Auto V, which are coming out on March 15.
In a post on its website, Rockstar addressed the future of the series, stating that a new GTA game is “well underway.” And, even more surprisingly, it will be sharing more information “soon.”
“With every new project we embark on, our goal is always to significantly move beyond what we have previously delivered — and we are pleased to confirm that active development for the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series is well underway,” read the post. “We look forward to sharing more as soon as we are ready, so please stay tuned to the Rockstar Newswire for official details.”
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There was obviously no nod to what platforms it will be on, when it might come out, exactly when players would hear more about it, or even its title. Rockstar is generally pretty secretive so those details probably won’t come out in a vague announcement like this.
Rockstar also looked to the past by talking more about the Grand Theft Auto V ports coming to the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S that were originally delayed out of November 2021. These upgraded titles will boast new modes that enable a 4K resolution, 60 frames per second gameplay, better textures, enhanced draw distance, HDR, ray tracing, faster load times, and 3D audio. The PS5 version will also have haptic feedback.
Rockstar did say “new graphics modes” so it is probable that it will have multiple modes that have a few of those enhancements. For example, it is unlikely that the mode with ray tracing will also be playable at 60 frames per second and at a 4K resolution. This post also didn’t have any comparison shots, meaning some still might be skeptical about how big these ports will behave, especially after the debacle surrounding The Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition.
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Given Rockstar’s past, it will probably not be a free upgrade for the millions who already own the title on PS4 and Xbox One. However, users will be able to migrate their single-player saves and GTA Online characters to the current-gen ports. A new standalone version of GTAO will also be out at launch and will be free for PS5 users for three months. The new version of GTAO will also let players skip the prologue of GTAV‘s campaign, which is a 20 to 30-minute segment that everyone has had to complete first since the mode’s launch. It will also have a new tutorial, a workshop that lets players upgrade certain vehicles, a career builder that gives a choice of four businesses to pick, and a giant sum of money that gives aspiring criminals a head start.
