GTA 5 fans voice disappointment over PS5 and Xbox Series X upgrades

Take-Two Interactive debuted its latest trailer for the upcoming Grand Theft Auto V remaster during Thursday’s PlayStation Showcase event, but fans aren’t happy. The re-release aims to deliver upgrades to the eight-year-old title on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, leveraging the latest hardware advancements over previous consoles. GTA V continues to draw millions with its open-world action, but players have voiced concerns over minimal changes in its next version.

Grand Theft Auto V has evolved into an unstoppable juggernaut over its years on the market, selling over 150 million copies as of August 2021. The title first debuted on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2013, delivering open-ended sandbox mirroring Los Angeles, among the highest-rated video games in modern history. The series has also seen long-term momentum through its online multiplayer component, GTA Online, with regular free updates pinning the game at the top of global video game sales charts for over half a decade.

GTA V now sits among the best-selling games of all time, with its upcoming re-release on PS5 and Xbox Series X expected to bolster further sales for months to come. The re-release, framed as “expanded and enhanced” by developer Rockstar Games, serves as an attempt to retain its enormous install base with the release of new consoles.

The newest GTA V trailer has caught widespread backlash following its appearance at the PlayStation Showcase on September 10. The trailer posted to the PlayStation YouTube channel has received over 20,000 dislikes as of publication, overshadowing its 13,000 likes. The same video posted to the Rockstar Games YouTube channel has also faced negative reception with over 50% dislikes.

The overwhelming consensus among engaged GTA V players pans the trailer for its similarities to the existing game, previously upgraded for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in 2014, and again in 2015 for PC. Fans have also raised concerns over pricing, expected to follow other GTA V re-releases as a full-priced title, with no upgrade path for existing players. Take-Two Interactive is also among the first video game publishers to raise PlayStation and Xbox Series X titles to $70.

The backlash follows continued pushback against Grand Theft Auto mods from Take-Two Interactive, regularly shuttering prominent community projects. Mods for GTA V on PC have helped sustain the title as of late, including major graphical upgrades, far outpacing Rockstar Games’ upcoming console remaster.

The popularity of GTA V and past GTA titles have sprouted sizeable modding communities, albeit with Take-Two Interactive regularly issuing takedown notices in the space. Several established GTA V creators saw themselves as the target of the Rockstar Games parent through 2021, including popular mod sites and projects.

One of the largest GTA San Andreas mods, GTA Underground, also recently ceased development citing “increasing hostility” from Take-Two, with “imminent danger to our mental and financial well-being.”

Rockstar Games remains coy on changes to GTA V on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with its latest blog post touting a vague “range of technical and graphical improvements” and performance gains in some vehicles. The new trailer also references seamless character switching, an improvement on the existing solution in GTA V, an upshot of faster solid-state drive (SSD) storage in new consoles.

GTA V is now slated to launch on PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S consoles in March 2022.