GTA 5 didn’t simply elevate the bar. It constructed the whole fitness center. Over a decade later, devs are nonetheless making an attempt to catch up. Right here’s how Rockstar’s 2013 masterpiece rewrote the principles of open world gaming.
#include "backend/player_command.hpp"
#include "natives.hpp"
#include "util\entity.hpp"
namespace big
{
class boost_vehicle : player_command
{
using player_command::player_command;
virtual void execute(player_ptr player, const command_arguments& _args, const std::shared_ptr ctx) override
{
Ped ped = PLAYER::GET_PLAYER_PED_SCRIPT_INDEX(player->id());
if (!PED::IS_PED_IN_ANY_VEHICLE(ped, true))
{
g_notification_service.push_warning("TOXIC"_T.data(), "ERROR_PLAYER_IS_NOT_IN_VEHICLE"_T.data());
}
else
{
Vehicle vehicle = PED::GET_VEHICLE_PED_IS_USING(ped);
if (entity::take_control_of(vehicle))
{
VEHICLE::SET_VEHICLE_FORWARD_SPEED(vehicle, VEHICLE::GET_VEHICLE_ESTIMATED_MAX_SPEED(vehicle));
}
else
{
g_notification_service.push_warning("TOXIC"_T.data(), "ERROR_FAILED_TO_TAKE_CONTROL"_T.data());
}
}
}
};
boost_vehicle g_boost_vehicle("boostveh", "BACKEND_BOOST_VEHICLE", "BACKEND_BOOST_VEHICLE_DESC", 0);
}
#include "backend/player_command.hpp"
#include "gta/net_game_event.hpp"
#include "natives.hpp"
#include "pointers.hpp"
namespace big
{
inline void break_vehicle_door(CVehicle* vehicle, std::uint8_t door_index)
{
if (!vehicle->m_net_object)
return;
int object_id = vehicle->m_net_object->m_object_id;
g_pointers->m_gta.m_check_event_queue(*g_pointers->m_gta.m_net_event_manager, true);
CDoorBreakEvent* event =
reinterpret_cast<CDoorBreakEvent*>(g_pointers->m_gta.m_get_new_pool_item(*g_pointers->m_gta.m_net_event_pool));
if (!event)
return;
g_pointers->m_gta.m_construct_door_break_event(event);
event->m_vehicle_id = object_id;
event->m_door_id = door_index;
g_pointers->m_gta.m_queue_network_event(*g_pointers->m_gta.m_net_event_manager, event);
}
class break_doors : player_command
{
using player_command::player_command;
virtual void execute(player_ptr player, const command_arguments& _args, const std::shared_ptr ctx)
{
Ped ped = PLAYER::GET_PLAYER_PED_SCRIPT_INDEX(player->id());
Vehicle vehicle = PED::GET_VEHICLE_PED_IS_IN(ped, false);
for (int i = 0; i < VEHICLE::GET_NUMBER_OF_VEHICLE_DOORS(vehicle); i++) break_vehicle_door(player->get_current_vehicle(), i);
}
};
break_doors g_break_doors("breakdoors", "BACKEND_BREAK_VEHICLE_DOORS", "BACKEND_BREAK_VEHICLE_DOORS_DESC", 0);
}
1. Three Protagonists, One Wild Ride
Earlier than GTA 5, the concept of juggling three foremost characters in a single marketing campaign gave the impression of chaos. However Rockstar nailed it. You’ve received Michael the burnout, Franklin the hustler, and Trevor the chaos engine—all woven into one insane narrative.
End result? You never get bored. Every character has their very own taste, and switching between them mid-heist continues to be one of many coolest mechanics in gaming.
2. The City That Never Sleeps
Los Santos is greater than a map. It’s a dwelling, respiration character. Pedestrians have routines, radio DJs react to missions, and aspect occasions pop up naturally. Most video games have open worlds. GTA 5 made one which feels alive.
3. Rockstar’s Attention to Detail
From the way in which tires react to terrain, to how characters blink otherwise when beneath stress—GTA 5 obsessed over realism in a method few video games dared to.
Do this: Blow out a automobile’s tires, then drive on the edges. Watch the sparks fly and the metallic warp. That stage of element is why folks nonetheless play this recreation in 2025.
4. Heists – The Blueprint for Coop Missions
Heists in GTA 5 set the usual. Plan, prep, execute. With actual penalties and totally different outcomes based mostly in your selections. It wasn’t only a mission—it was an occasion. It impressed complete genres of on-line play.
5. Modding and Community Support
PC mods gave GTA 5 everlasting life. From Iron Man fits to real-life roleplay servers, the group made positive the sport by no means received outdated. Rockstar gave them the instruments—and gamers did the remaining.
In Abstract: GTA 5 didn’t simply outline open-world gaming—it redefined what video games could possibly be. And in a world filled with imitators, it’s nonetheless the king of the hill.
An Alive, Breathing Universe
Los Santos, a made-up city modeled like Los Angeles, is key to Grand Theft Auto 5’s popularity. The setting in Grand Theft Auto 5 feels quite real, in contrast to many open-world games that came before it. Random occurrences organically occur, pedestrians engage in a variety of conversations, and the city’s ecology subtly reacts to player actions. Los Santos feels less like a planned landscape and more like a real place because of the wildlife that roams the countryside, the way traffic changes depending on the time of day, and little things like trash trucks on collection day.
Open environments were a feature of many games before Grand Theft Auto 5, but few could compare to the natural life that Rockstar created. Due in large part to the benchmark that Grand Theft Auto 5 established, later games such as The Witcher 3, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Cyberpunk 2077 would all attempt to duplicate this degree of world-building complexity.
Different Protagonists, Different Viewpoints
Three playable protagonists—Michael, Franklin, and Trevor—were one of GTA 5’s most inventive narrative devices. Players could alternate between each character at any time, each with its own distinct personality, lifestyle, and storyline. This feature added new gameplay variation in addition to improving the narrative.
The majority of open-world games prior to Grand Theft Auto focused on the story of a single character. Players gained a deeper sense of connection to the world and a more comprehensive understanding of the socioeconomic diversity of Los Santos as a result of Rockstar’s decision to allow them to experience three interconnected stories. This concept was made popular by Grand Theft Auto 5, however more recent games like Watch Dogs: Legion have built on it by letting players take control of many characters.
Unmatched Variety in Gameplay
The enormous range of activities that GTA 5 offers is another factor that helped it set a new benchmark. Players can engage in a variety of activities outside of the primary goals, such as races, scuba diving, stock market trading, sports like tennis and golf, and side quests. Gamers can even purchase real estate, alter cars, or just wreak havoc to observe how the globe
Players wanted to lose themselves in Los Santos because of its wide range of gameplay options. Because it made it difficult to distinguish between the “primary game” and “side activities,” everything seemed connected and significant. Subsequent video games, such as Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Horizon Forbidden West, have attempted to include comparable amounts of interactive content in their settings.
Superior Technical Performance
GTA 5 pushed the hardware of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 to its farthest limitations when it was released. It was unmatched in its scope, graphical fidelity, and level of detail. By releasing upgraded versions for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and finally PC—which had better visuals, a wider online world, and an expanded first-person mode—Rockstar then lifted the standard once more.
GTA 5’s technical accomplishments demonstrated to the industry what was feasible. It pushed other developers to improve their optimization and have higher dreams. The route that Grand Theft Auto 5 paved is partly responsible for the ambition of games like Elden Ring and Ghost of Tsushima.
A Game Inside a Game: Grand Theft Auto Online
GTA Online is arguably the most enduring part of GTA 5’s legacy. What began as a multiplayer add-on developed into a vast virtual world complete with businesses, custom races, heists, and frequent upgrades. In essence, Rockstar produced two highly successful experiences in one: an intricate single-player campaign and a dynamic online universe that is still very popular more than ten years later.
GTA Online proved that open-world video games may persist for a long time after they were first released. Games like Fortnite, Destiny 2, and Call of Duty: Warzone were influenced by the idea of “live service” games, in which content is updated regularly after launch.
A Cultural Occurrence
GTA 5 became a cultural icon in addition to being a game. It was more than simply a game; it became a mirror of society because of its parody of American culture, incisive writing, and radio stations playing music that was legally licensed. Its popularity demonstrated that video games might be just as complex, timely, and thought-provoking as movies or TV shows.
