Grand Theft Auto 5 originally released in 2013, but has managed to maintain a massive playerbase. A large part of this has been the game's online counterpart, Grand Theft Auto Online. Not only has Grand Theft Auto Online received a consistent trickle of updates and new content, it also recently spawned popular roleplay servers that have led to Grant Theft Auto Online becoming one of the most streamed games on Twitch.

It was announced earlier this year that Grand Theft Auto 5 would make the jump to next-gen consoles. Grand Theft Auto Online will also be moving to the new home consoles, including the game getting a standalone release on the PlayStation 5. While not much official information has been released about what improvements players can expect, fans have been curious to see what the mode will look like taking advantage of the new hardware.

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One of the biggest expected improvements for Grand Theft Auto Online is an increase in visual and technical performance. Both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S boast 4K resolution and up to 120 FPS performance. Because of this, it is likely that Grand Theft Auto Online's visuals will receive an upgrade and get closer to the standard set by Grand Theft Auto 5's single-player offering.

This may lead to many players' characters and vehicles in Grand Theft Auto Online receiving a visual enhancement when the game comes to next-gen, with more detailed textures and increased fidelity across the board. It will also likely lead to the online mode receiving more subtle technical improvements like a higher population of NPCs across the city and a further draw distance.

The new consoles should also lead to Grand Theft Auto Online load times decreasing significantly. While this may not be the most exciting improvement, it would end up saving players a lot of time and could even lead to the world of Grand Theft Auto Online feeling larger and more seamless. Being able to drive across Los Santos without any loading screen is already impressive, but being able to do so and then walk into one's apartment or house without loading would be even bigger. It also would help cut downloading time when players want to engage with some of the mode's bigger content like stunt races or Grand Theft Auto Online's Cayo Perico Heist.

It was recently announced that PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 servers for Grand Theft Auto Online will be shut down. While this news is unfortunate for any players still active on those consoles, it is good news for the game as a whole. Moving away from the older console generation will allow Grand Theft Auto Online's future updates to be even bigger and more complex than they have been ever before. The updates will not have to be concerned about running well on the older consoles, and will likely take advantage of that eagerly. This could mean the mode getting updates with large new areas for players to interact with and explore like Cayo Perico, or even updates that introduce more complicated features like the long-awaited stock market or in-depth businesses to run.

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Moving to the new console generation could also allow Grand Theft Auto Online to add more detail and depth to Los Santos itself. Grand Theft Auto Online's future could include updating parts of Los Santos either by finishing the in-game construction that has been present since launch or adding interiors to buildings that players currently aren't able to go inside. Moving to the new generation of consoles could also allow Grand Theft Auto Online to introduce crossplay. Allowing players to all connect together regardless of platform would be a great move for the game, and its players would undoubtedly be appreciative.

Rockstar Games has confirmed that Grand Theft Auto Online will receive additional content for players on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, or PC. With how powerful those platforms are, the future of Grand Theft Auto Online is looking bright. New hardware will likely lead to players getting access to exclusive vehicles or missions that are only possible on those platforms. It would also make sense if Grand Theft Auto Online started trying to incorporate the mode's popular roleplaying community. Updates adding functionality for players to fit into different roles on designated roleplay servers would make a lot of sense to continue to grow the mode's fanbase.

The future could also hold limited-time events in Grand Theft Auto Online, similar to the attention-grabbing events popularized by games like Fortnite. Many players have voiced their support for the idea of Grand Theft Auto Online acting as a platform for game-wide events like digital concerts or plot-related happenings. The game's realistic city has the potential to provide a great place to put on such events, and it seems likely Grand Theft Auto Online will take a step in that direction, especially when other games like Call of Duty: Warzone have started doing so.

Hopefully, Rockstar Games will have more official information to release about what fans can expect from the next-gen versions of Grand Theft Auto Online. The jump to next-gen should also help position Grand Theft Auto Online in a better place for when Grand Theft Auto 6 releases, whenever that may be. It will be interesting to see what the mode has in store for its players, but hopefully it will take the opportunity to start implementing some of the improvements hoped for by the Grand Theft Auto Online community like revitalizing Los Santos.

Grand Theft Auto Online is available to play on PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions also in development.

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