GTA 5 Complete Guide: Everything About Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V is one of the most successful entertainment products ever made. More than a decade after its first release it is still played by millions of people every month, and it is the game every fan is comparing GTA 6 to. This guide brings together everything you need to know about it in one place.

GTA 5 at a glance

Every release and platform

GTA 5 has been released on more hardware than any other game in the series. Each new version improved the graphics and performance and carried GTA Online forward.

The story in brief

The game opens in North Yankton with a bank robbery that goes badly wrong. Nine years later, one of the robbers, Michael, is living a comfortable but miserable life in Los Santos under a new name. When he meets Franklin, an ambitious young man from South Los Santos, and when his old partner Trevor learns he is still alive, the three are pulled into a series of heists for crime bosses, corrupt federal agents and a billionaire. We keep this overview spoiler-light; for the full cast see our GTA 5 characters guide.

Three protagonists you can switch between

GTA 5's biggest innovation was letting you switch between three playable leads at almost any moment. Each has his own home, friends, side activities and a special ability:

• Michael can slow down time while aiming, ideal for shootouts.
• Franklin can slow down time while driving, making tight escapes easier.
• Trevor can enter a rage mode where he deals more damage and takes less.

During missions the game often switches between them automatically, so you see a heist from several angles.

The map

The world is split between Los Santos, Rockstar's take on Los Angeles, and Blaine County, a large rural area of desert, farmland, forest and mountains to the north. It includes Mount Chiliad, the Alamo Sea, the town of Sandy Shores and Paleto Bay on the north coast, plus a large stretch of ocean you can explore by boat or submarine. Our GTA 5 map guide covers every major area.

Heists

The story is built around five main heists. Before each one you choose an approach and a crew, then complete preparation missions to collect vehicles and equipment. Your choices affect how the heist plays out and how much money you keep. Read the GTA 5 heists guide for every heist and approach.

Three different endings

At the end of the story Franklin is forced to make a choice that leads to one of three endings. We explain all three, with spoiler warnings, in GTA 5 endings explained.

GTA Online

GTA Online launched two weeks after the main game and has grown into a huge multiplayer world with its own story arcs, businesses, heists, races and regular updates. It is included with GTA 5 and is also sold separately on current consoles. Rockstar continues to update it, and has not announced any plans to end it when GTA 6 releases.

Is GTA 5 still worth playing before GTA 6?

Yes. GTA 6 has its own story, setting and characters, so you do not need GTA 5 to understand it. But GTA 5 is still a great game, it is often heavily discounted, and playing it is the best way to appreciate how much the series is changing. If you want the differences in one place, read GTA 6 vs GTA 5.

Frequently asked questions