The reason is as simple as it could be: Rockstar wants to keep gamers connected to the Grand Theft Auto universe, and while this is certainly something good for the community that’s been playing GTA V for 13 years, this announcement also breathes new life into GTA Online.
Rockstar has announced that PS4 and Xbox One owners of GTA 5 will be able to upgrade to the PS5 and Xbox Series editions without paying a single dollar. The free upgrades go live today, so you can move from the legacy version to the new-gen GTA 5 edition without waiting (waiting has become such a frustrating thing in the GTA world, especially with GTA 6 pushed back so many times).
If you wonder why this is such big news, here’s the thing. The PS5 version of GTA 5 was originally a paid upgrade (or game altogether, if you didn’t already have GTA 5). You had to pay at least $10 for the upgrade, and you got improved graphics worth a new-gen console, DualSense controller integration, better audio, and many other goodies that made GTA 5 feel almost like a new game.
Now all of these are available at no extra cost. If you’re worried that you’re going to lose your Carrier Progress rewards and everything else, that’s not going to happen. Rockstar is offering a migration upgrade, so once you move to the PS5 version, all your data will be there.
With a new summer update also on the radar for GTA Online, the decision certainly makes sense. GTA Online has so far been a money-making machine for Rockstar, so the company is giving one last attempt at making more dollars before the final goodbye.
GTA 6 is coming on November 19 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series, and a PC version will follow probably next year. Rockstar has already confirmed the PC release, and people familiar with the matter said the launch could happen as soon as February. This is highly unlikely, considering Rockstar typically unveils PC versions approximately one year after the main releases, but further specifics will be shared closer to the launch.
Meanwhile, everybody’s waiting for GTA 6 Trailer 3, which should drop either later this month or in early July. Once this happens, Rockstar officially kicks off the GTA 6 marketing campaign before the grand unveiling, so this could be the last time we see GTA 5 making headlines.
The next GTA Online update will go live in July, so you have enough time to take advantage of the upgrade promo if you’re still playing the game.
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