Rockstar Games announced almost a year ago — yeah, it's really been that long — that Grand Theft Auto 5 and Online are heading to the new consoles with native ports. It was already possible to play GTA 5 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S via backwards compatibility, but those versions aren't full-blown enhancements.
Now, we know when the actual ports are being released, and more details about GTA Online going standalone have also been revealed.
First things first, let's cover the most important tidbit — the date. Grand Theft Auto 5 is launching on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on the 11th of November, 2021. These releases will be full-on enhancements with all the tweaks, graphical upgrades and technical changes that go into a dedicated port. Playing GTA 5 via backwards compatibility already yielded limited improvements, but didn't get close to capitalizing on all the benefits the new hardware offers.
The release of this new port will also mark the launch of GTA Online's standalone version — with a caveat. Standalone GTA Online will be exclusive to and free on the PlayStation 5 for 3 months, meaning until February 11, 2022. Meanwhile, there is another promotion aimed at PlayStation users, wherein PS+ subscribers can claim a bonus of GTA$ 1,000,000 every month.
Further details about the port are scarce — frankly, we would have expected the release date announcement to come with a bit more fanfare, as opposed to being a post-script under a DLC tease. Pricing, availability, and the exact extent of the upgrades have yet to be unveiled, but we expect some trailers and screenshots to drop in the coming weeks and months.
Rockstar Games will already be prepping GTA Online for its standalone outing in advance, with some of the upcoming DLCs setting up the playing field with extra goodies for those players who will eventually make the jump to the ports.
See you on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in November!
