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GTA 5 Gets a Free PC Upgrade with Next-Gen Features – Here’s What’s New
February 22, 2025It’s been over a decade since Grand Theft Auto V first graced our screens, but Rockstar Games just won’t let this open-world behemoth slow down. And now, PC players are finally getting some love—a free upgrade that brings PS5 and Xbox Series X/S enhancements straight to their rigs.
Yes, you read that right: GTA 5 on PC is getting a major facelift, and it will cost you nothing.
If you’ve been running the same old Los Santos experience while console players enjoy ray tracing, faster load times, and other juicy enhancements, your patience is about to pay off. Starting March 4, GTA 5 on PC will match the console versions in visuals, performance, and new features—all while keeping the chaotic spirit of GTA Online alive.
Table of Contents
What’s Included in GTA 5’s Free PC Upgrade?
This isn’t just some minor quality-of-life update—Rockstar is bringing major next-gen features to GTA 5 on PC. Here’s what’s changing:
- Ray-Tracing Enhancements – Expect improved reflections, ambient occlusion, and global illumination that’ll make Los Santos look better than ever.
- Faster Load Times – Thanks to SSD optimization and DirectStorage support, loading into the game will be much quicker—because who wants to spend half their life in loading screens?
- Higher Resolutions & Frame Rates – Depending on your setup, you can push GTA 5 to higher resolutions, frame rates, and aspect ratios for a smoother and more immersive experience.
- FSR & DLSS Support – Players with AMD GPUs can enjoy FSR1 and FSR3 support, while NVIDIA users get DLSS 3 enhancements for extra performance boosts.
- Better Audio & Controller Support – Dolby Atmos enhancements will make Los Santos sound richer, while DualSense adaptive trigger support lets you feel every bullet and explosion—if you’re into that kind of thing.
The recommended specifications are as follows:
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 (latest service pack) | Windows 11 |
| Processor | Intel Core i7-4770, AMD FX-9590 | Intel Core i5-9600K, AMD Ryzen 5 3600 |
| Memory | 8GB RAM | 16GB Dual-Channel Configuration RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 (4GB VRAM), AMD Radeon RX 6400 (4GB VRAM) | NVIDIA GeForce RTC 3060 (8GB VRAM), AMD Radeon RX 6600XT (8GB VRAM) |
| Storage | 105GB, SSD required | 105GB, DirectStorage-compatible drive |
| Sound card & audio | 100% DirectX 10 compatible | Windows Spatial Sound-compatible audio system; solution containing Dolby Atmos support required for a Dolby Atmos experience |
GTA Online Also Gets Some Big Improvements
It’s not just Story Mode that’s getting a glow-up—GTA Online is also getting major upgrades with this free update. Some of the biggest highlights include:
- New Vehicles & Performance Tweaks – More cars, better physics, and general improvements across the board.
- Career Progress Feature – This new system will help you track your criminal empire’s evolution across various GTA Online updates.
- A Revamped Landing Page – New players won’t feel as lost, thanks to a better introduction system and an improved user interface.
- GTA+ Membership Perks – Subscribers will see even more exclusive content and benefits in this update.
- Proactive Voice Chat Moderation – Because let’s face it—GTA Online voice chat can be a lawless wasteland, and Rockstar is finally doing something about it.
The Big Catch: Older Versions of GTA Online Won’t Be Compatible
If you’re planning to stick with the previous version of GTA Online, be warned: you won’t be able to play in the same sessions as those using the upgraded version. Rockstar has confirmed that support for older PC versions will continue, but the multiplayer experience will be split.
For most players, this won’t be a deal-breaker—especially since progress from both Story Mode and GTA Online will migrate automatically to the new version. But if you have friends who refuse to update, well, you might need to convince them to make the leap to next-gen Los Santos.
What Does This Mean for GTA 6?
Naturally, every GTA 5 update sparks more questions about GTA 6, and this time is no different.
With Rockstar still silent on a PC release date for GTA 6, some fans believe this GTA 5 refresh is a way to keep PC players happy and engaged until the next big thing drops.
Take-Two’s CEO, Strauss Zelnick, recently hinted that Rockstar will “move to other platforms over time”, following their usual pattern of launching GTA games on consoles first before bringing them to PC later.
Rumours suggest that GTA 6 could hit PC as early as 2026, with companies like Corsair even predicting an early 2026 launch window for the game. But until then, Rockstar seems determined to keep GTA 5 relevant.
A Win for PC Players
PC players have waited years for Rockstar to deliver the same next-gen GTA 5 experience that console players have enjoyed. And now, it’s finally happening—for free.
With improved graphics, performance upgrades, and new GTA Online features, this update makes one of the biggest games of all time feel fresh again.
And let’s be real: if Rockstar can keep GTA 5 going for this long, it’s only a matter of time before GTA 6 gets its turn.
While games are fun, it’s highly important to note that there’s more to life than sitting countless hours playing video games – there’s a purpose and more to life; seek out that purpose more often!
