The latest edition of Grand Theft Auto 5 - GTA 5: Expanded and Enhanced - hits the PlayStation 5 March 15, 2022, and there are some key differences between it and the previous version released on the PS4. Expanded and Enhanced marks the second upgrade GTA 5 has seen since its initial release in 2013, with the game first being the the PS4 and Xbox One in 2014. That version in itself brought some notable visual and gameplay innovations - like first-person mode - to GTA 5, and the iteration also brings some notable improvements, including better graphics and visual upgrades, as well as tweaks to gameplay.
Grand Theft Auto 5: Expanded and Enhanced was first announced in June 2020 during sony's PlayStation 5 event, and was originally slated to release November, 2021. GTA 5's next-gen reveal was met with some controversy online, with a sizeable portion of GTA fans then impatient for news of Grand Theft Auto 6, and many Red Dead Online players upset with GTA Online receiving renewed focus from Rockstar. The game was later delayed in September 2021 to its new March release date, when it will launch on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Despite releasing in just under a month, Rockstar hasn't revealed much in the way of information regarding GTA 5: Expanded and Enhanced - at least not much since the game's initial reveal trailer back in 2020. Even so, it looks as though the game will bring a host of visual upgrades to GTA 5, and in particular will boast unique features for the PlayStation 5's DualSense controller. In the meantime, PlayStation owners have been able to take advantage of a regular free benefit on the PS Store over the last year, where they can claim $1 million in GTA Online currency each month. This is on top of the recent announcement that GTA Online will be free for PlayStation Plus subscribers for three months starting in March, the same month that Expanded and Enhanced releases. All in all, it looks as though GTA 5's lifespan is about to be extended considerably, and these new upgrades should go some way in achieving that.
GTA 5 On PS5 Will Make Use Of DualSense's Haptic
A feature that has come to be expected of most games releasing on the PlayStation 5, Rockstar has revealed that GTA 5: Expanded and Enhanced will implement haptic . The PS5's DualSense controller features unique vibration as well as adaptive triggers that can be used to make gameplay more immersive. Games like Control and Returnal have used haptic to relay tiny vibrations for footsteps or even rainfall, while shooters and action games have used the triggers to emulate the different pressures on a gun's actual trigger, allowing greater control over when to shoot.
Rockstar hasn't specified how exactly GTA 5 will implement haptic or the DualSense's adaptive triggers, but it wouldn't be disingenuous to assume that it may make use of the controller in a similar fashion to the aforementioned titles. Gran Turismo 7 will use the DualSense to bring players closer to the road, and given GTA 5's focus on driving, it could be that players will also encounter pedal resistance when accelerating or breaking. The DualSense has proven to be one of the best features of the PlayStation 5, and it will be interesting to see how exactly GTA 5: Expanded and Enhanced makes use of it when it releases in March.
GTA 5: Expanded & Enhanced Will Have Faster Load Times On PS5
One of the most notorious elements of GTA 5 is its lengthy load times. Players can expect to wait for minutes at a time to load into GTA Online on the PlayStation 4, while switching between the single-player's three protagonists - Michael, Franklin, and GTA 5's somewhat demonic Trevor - could also entail a not-insignificant wait. The PlayStation 5 has largely relegated lengthy loading screens to the past, and if the trailer for GTA 5: Expanded and Enhanced is anything to go off, it looks as though players will be spending less time than ever when switching between the single-player's different characters.
In the reveal trailer for GTA 5: Expanded & Enhanced, lobby of GTA Online on PlayStation 5 will be just as long, but if it takes quicker to render and load the entirety of Los Santos in single-player, chances are it'll be at least a tad more speedy.
GTA 5 Will Have Better Graphics On PlayStation 5
The most obvious and immediate improvements that will be made to GTA 5 on next-gen consoles are improved graphics and performance. The latest iteration of GTA 5 will feature a number of different graphics modes, including 60 FPS gameplay, 4K resolution, and ray tracing. Players should expect greater visual clarity at extreme distances, with improved draw distancing, along with upgraded textures. While this won't be enough to make it look as good as Red Dead Redemption 2, it should bring the game closer in line with recent releases. GTA 5 is still a great-looking game even on PlayStation 4, and these visual and performance boosts should see it into the main years of the current-gen consoles - at least until GTA 6 is eventually released.
Fans will have to wait another month to find out the full extent of the changes GTA 5: Expanded and Enhanced has brought to Los Santos, but judging from what Rockstar has shown so far, they should go some way in renewing interest in the game. 2022 also looks to be a big year for GTA Online, with multiple updates expected throughout the year, and with incentives like free GTA Online money potentially bringing in more players. This new edition of Grand Theft Auto 5 should also encourage new and returning players to try out the latest version of Los Santos, even if many have moved on to thinking about what's next for the series.
Source: Rockstar
