Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V was initially meant to launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in November 2021, but will GTA 5 be free on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S? Rockstar Games has been unusually quiet regarding the details of the upgraded version of its most popular title.
The announcement of a (at the time) next-gen version of GTA 5 was so huge that it opened Sony’s PS5 reveal event. The details were scarce at the time, with Rockstar saying that the new versions of GTA 5 would have “technical improvements, visual upgrades and performance enhancements to take full advantage of the latest hardware, making the game more beautiful and more responsive than ever.” The company didn’t elaborate as to what the improvements would be at the time, but it was still early days for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, so fans expected more information to follow.
The PS5 reveal event was almost a year ago and Rockstar finally gave fans an update regarding the (now) current-gen versions of GTA 5. The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of the game were meant to be released in November 2021, but they were delayed to March 2022. There have been few details released about the updates to the game, but more importantly, no information about how the game will be sold, or if GTA 5 will have a free upgrade on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Will Rockstar Charge Players For GTA 5 Again
A lot of companies have offered players the chance to own both versions of a game when buying it on PlayStation or Xbox platforms, allowing them to upgrade for free when they buy the new system. Rockstar has yet to confirm whether this will be the case for the new versions of GTA 5, but all of the evidence so far suggests that it will be a paid release. Companies usually announce free next-gen releases way in advance, as it incentivizes people to buy the existing version of the game. The fact that GTA 5 is the second best-selling video game of all time means that there’s a good chance everyone who cares already owns the game, so there’s more money to be made selling the upgraded versions when they come out, due to the potential size of the audience. The initial announcement during the PS5 reveal event confirmed that a standalone version of GTA Online will be free for PS+ subscribers for the first three months after launch, suggesting that will also be a paid release on other platforms.
The Impending March Release Date
It was revealed in September 2021 that the current-gen versions of GTA 5 have been delayed to March. A few of the updates present in the new console versions of GTA 5 were revealed, including improved graphics and faster load times. What Rockstar hasn’t revealed is whether these games will have a free upgrade option for existing owners of the game, though at this point it’s assumed that they won’t be. The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of GTA 5 still cannot be purchased, so it’s unclear how much they will cost. The fact that Rockstar is obfuscating the price suggests that the company will try to sell it at full price.
The people who already own GTA 5 on PS4 and Xbox One will still be able to play the old version of the game on new systems through their backward compatibility features, so there’s no real need to upgrade just yet. There’s also a chance that Microsoft or Sony could bite the bullet and pay Rockstar for the right to ensure that the current-gen version of GTA 5 is free on their platform. Rockstar hasn’t given a clear answer as to whether GTA 5 will be a free upgrade for current owners, and the company could still surprise fans, but it’s looking like the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions will be paid releases. The people expecting GTA 5 to be free on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S should prepare for disappointment.
Grand Theft Auto V will be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in March 2022.
Source: Rockstar Games
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