Few video game franchises manage to attract as much attention as Grand Theft Auto. During the early days, Rockstar sought out provocative and controversial coverage in the press, operating under the premise of “there’s no such thing as bad press”.
Although the first couple of releases for the original PlayStation were considered good games but nothing revolutionary, Rockstar made waves with GTA III in 2001. Since then, every Grand Theft Auto game has enjoyed huge success, though none more so than GTA V.
It was originally released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in late 2013, but it was soon re-released for the PS4 when it went on sale a few months later. In years that have followed, GTA V has gone on to become the best PS4 game ever.
Its success can be attributed to a number of factors.
Attention to Detail
Rockstar has always paid attention to detail with its titles, especially the GTA series. None, though, are as detailed or as well-thought-out as GTA V.
The way non-playable characters behave is so real that it’s unrivalled. Pedestrians that find obstacles in their path will find a way around them, problem-solving just like in real life.
This might seem mundane, but it helps to create the appearance of a real, living, breathing city. In contrast, these seemingly simple behaviours are absent from Cyberpunk 2077, despite it being released more than seven years after GTA V.
Regular Updates
Another reason Grand Theft Auto V has remained so popular for so long is that Rockstar has spent a long time developing new features, missions, and content for the online portion of its game.
One of the most popular updates to GTA Online was the Diamond Resort and Casino which went live in late 2019. It introduced new features to players, including the ability to play many popular casino games like roulette and blackjack. The update also included new casino-related heist missions and new property that players could buy.
This was one of the most-requested and anticipated updates for the online portion of Grand Theft Auto V. The demand was driven by two factors; the first was the fact that casino games had been included in GTA San Andreas and had been one of the most-loved side missions in the game.
The other main factor leading to the huge number of players wanting Rockstar to add a casino to GTA Online was the fact that casino games are incredibly popular in themselves. In the UK alone, billions are wagered every year through online casinos, with many large iGaming companies competing for this business. This has led a lot of innovation within online casinos, with many creating unique and exclusive titles like The Bird House and Might of Zeus.
Based on this, combining these two popular gaming options together was always going to be a huge hit, so it made a lot of sense for Rockstar.
The Size
Modern video games are much bigger than they once were. They offer dozens of hours of gameplay to keep you occupied and entertained. GTA V is a step above even this though.
The game itself is relatively cheap to buy today and offers incredible value for money, with an entertaining main story, the usual odd jobs and side missions, and the ability to explore and do pretty much whatever you want – and that’s before you connect to the multiplayer mode.
Graphics
GTA graphics were always decent, but they were never great. During the “3D era” on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, Grand Theft Auto games offered visuals that were pleasing but not even close to those seen in other titles of the era. This was because the developers had to make a compromise between making the game larger and including quality graphics.
For GTA V though, no such compromises were needed as Rockstar was able to create a game that was vast in size, varied in the experience it offered, and beautiful.
The PS4 version was one of the best looking games released on the console, especially when the warm California precipitation rained down from the sky.
Overall, GTA V is a game that remains as popular today as it was when it was first put on sale eight years ago. This success is down to many factors, though its beautiful graphics, varied and constantly-refreshed content, and vast size make it one of the best PS4 games ever made.
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