New vehicles, ray tracing and more: "GTA 5" gets a major upgrade on the PC
A major update for the PC version of "GTA 5" will be released on 4 March. It includes features and functions that are already integrated on the consoles.
The eagerly awaited "GTA 6" is set to be released in autumn 2025 - but initially only for Playstation 5 and Xbox S/X. PC gamers will have to wait even longer. Rumour has it that the PC release could be in early 2026.
To shorten the wait, developer studio Rockstar Games has announced an upgrade for the PC version of the eleven-year-old "GTA 5". This means that PC gamers will also receive the improvements that were released exclusively for the current consoles in early 2022.
The update will be available on 4 March and you will be able to carry over your saves from the story and online modes.
Technical improvements
The update includes graphical improvements. You can enjoy ray tracing, which enables better reflections, shadows and more realistic lighting. According to Rockstar, some of the new ray tracing features for the PC are better than on the consoles.
Source: Rockstar Games
The overall graphics quality is set to improve, including through optimised upscaling. The game will support AMD FSR1 and FSR3 technologies as well as Nvidia DLSS 3. The update should also enable "GTA 5" to handle higher resolutions and frame rates better.
The sound should have higher fidelity and support Dolby Atmos. Loading times should also be reduced for many players. If you also want to use a dual-sense controller on your PC, the upgrade will make this more convenient: the game will support adaptive triggers.
New features
Technical improvements are not enough. The update also introduces new gameplay content. For example, you can steal these new vehicles:
- Coil Cyclone II (super sports car)
- Imponte Arbiter GT (muscle car)
- Karin S95 (sports car)
- Pegassi Ignus (super sports car)
- Pfister Astron Custom (SUV)
You can now also use the tuning workshop "Hao's Special Works". There you can upgrade your vehicles and put their performance to the test in special races. Hao's workshop offers new tuning options for numerous existing vehicles.
If you want to take it easy, you can take on the daily wildlife photography challenge and photograph animals around the city.
You now also have the option of taking out a GTA Plus membership, which offers you various benefits for GTA Online. Among other things, you will receive a monthly in-game payment and can buy special properties and vehicles. Previously, GTA Plus was only available to console players.
"GTA 5": old and still hugely popular
"GTA 5" is still very popular with fans, especially the online version. On Twitch, "GTA 5", which is more than eleven years old, is regularly in the top ranks of the streaming categories with the most viewers. The Steam charts also indicate an average of around 150,000 gamers who are active in the game.
RP is the magic word, i.e. role play. The streamers slip into the role of a special character in a mostly modded version of the game and then play it as faithfully as possible in the "GTA" world. This results in funny, exciting and dramatic situations - which also explains the popularity of "GTA 5" on Twitch.
Header image: Rockstar Games / "GTA 5"
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Feels just as comfortable in front of a gaming PC as she does in a hammock in the garden. Likes the Roman Empire, container ships and science fiction books. Focuses mostly on unearthing news stories about IT and smart products.
