Grand Theft Auto 5 has become one of the most wildly popular games ever made since its initial release in 2013. Part of the game's success is due to its trademark humor and seemingly endless pop culture references, but these don't stop with the real world though, as all of the games in the Grand Theft Auto series are linked in one way or another. This connection to past games leaves room for plenty of Easter eggs and references, and Grand Theft Auto 5 is filled with them.

Before Grand Theft Auto 5 released, Grand Theft Auto 4 was still incredibly popular in the gaming world. The exploits of Niko Bellic and his bowling-loving cousin Roman made for one of the best games of the early 2000s, and a lot of gamers still flock to the game to this day. Leaving Liberty City was tough for some people, and some players wondered if GTA 5 would include some elements of GTA 4's story. Although Grand Theft Auto 5 brought players back to San Andreas, Rockstar made sure to put a healthy amount of references to GTA 4 in the game to show that the two were still connected.

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Niko Bellic became a fan-favorite character when GTA 4 released, but his fate at the end of the story can be pretty uncertain depending on what ending players get. Grand Theft Auto 5 doesn't exactly answer any of the questions that players may have had at the end of GTA 4, but there is a reference in the game that clearly establishes his connection to the world. In a cutscene for the first heist of the game, Lester talks about an Eastern-European that was doing jobs in Liberty City who has gone quiet. This remark is unquestionably in reference to Niko, and although it doesn't definitively say he's still alive, it leaves open the possibility that he succeeded in giving up his life of crime.

One of the other connections to GTA 4 that is present in GTA 5 comes in the form of biker Johnny Klebitz. He was the main protagonist in GTA 4's The Lost & Damned DLC, and he made a surprise appearance in Grand Theft Auto 5 when the game introduces Trevor. This reunion proved to be pretty short-lived for players, as Klebitz was murdered by Trevor very shortly after he was brought into the game. Although it was unfortunate to see a pivotal part of GTA 4's story get unceremoniously killed, it was still a clever way to show that Grand Theft Auto 5 was connected to Grand Theft Auto 4.

Grand Theft Auto 5 continues its connections to GTA 4 with a random moment that players can stumble across. If a player finds themselves near one of the game's many drug stores, a robbery can take place, and the player will have the choice to kill the two robbers or help them get away. If the player helps them get away, they'll soon discover that one of the robbers is Packie from GTA 4, one of Niko's friends and heist accomplices. If the player decides to help Packie, they are then able to add him to their heist team as a gunman, serving as a nice reunion for players that enjoyed his company in the previous game.

Grand Theft Auto 5's longevity is due in part to how the game has something to offer for just about everyone. For fans of Grand Theft Auto 4, there is a treasure trove of references to the game that show how the player's adventures in Liberty City are connected to their adventures in San Andreas. After spending so much time in San Andreas, many fans of the series have been analyzing every little rumor on GTA 6, like when it will be coming and what it will have to offer. If there's one thing gamers can depend on, it's that the next game will likely be filled with connections to Grand Theft Auto 5.

Grand Theft Auto 5 is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. PS5 and Xbox Series X versions are currently in development.

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