I returned to GTA 5 one last time before GTA 6 comes out – here’s why Los Santos still surprises me 13 years after release

What could possibly be left to say about Grand Theft Auto 5 ? In the 13 years since the release of Rockstar Games’ open-world magnum opus, we’ve had a nonstop running commentary from YouTubers, podcasters, and game journalists about its world, writing, and many secrets.

Entire careers have flourished based on the art of talking about GTA 5 .

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Rockstar’s 2013 open-world opus has had such an effect on culture since its initial release that it’s hard to imagine a world without it.

It’s seen releases and remasters across three console generations.

It’s won the highest awards in some countries and been outright banned in others.

And an entire generation of gamers has grown into adulthood knowing the streets of Los Santos better than their hometown.

Alas, GTA 6 is on the horizon – following years of trailers, teasers, and unfortunate leaks, the sixth Grand Theft Auto game arrives on November 19, 2026.

The fact that the game won’t launch with a physical disc version won’t stop it from dominating conversation and the sales charts on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC for years to come.

I’ve spent a good few years playing GTA 5 (in order to keep PEGI off our backs, that’s as specific as I’ll be getting) and have put in thousands of hours across various versions of GTA 5 and GTA Online .

As a final salute to Los Santos, I loaded up GTA 5 on my PlayStation 5 and PS4 to see how one of the best games of all time has evolved during its ten-year tenure at the forefront of gaming culture.

Re-remastered GTA V on PS5 looks simply phenomenal, especially given the age of its textures and models (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future) Full disclosure: I’d never actually played the PS5-native version of GTA 5 before starting work on this piece, and loading up the game for the first time, I wasn’t sure if Los Santos could still surprise me after so many years spent drifting through its virtual streets.