GTA 5 fans outraged by leaked PS5 & Xbox prices for next-gen update

GTA 5 is gearing up for release on its third consecutive console generation, but fans have criticized Rockstar after the prices for the game on PS5 and Xbox Series consoles were revealed.

Grand Theft Auto 5 is one of the best-selling games of all time, so it was no surprise to see a next-gen version announced for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Despite it being the game’s third console generation, die-hard fans are still eager to continue their progress in Los Santos.

After the disastrous reception to the GTA Trilogy Remastered, and with GTA 6 likely still years away, a trip back into GTA 5’s vast open map could be just the thing to tide players over.

But ahead of the next-gen update’s March 15 release date, leaked preorder pages have revealed the price of GTA 5 on new hardware early, and players have criticized Rockstar Games for its approach.

According to the leaks, at full price, GTA 5 will cost £34.99 / $39.99 on both PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, which also includes GTA Online. For those just interested in the multiplayer content, GTA Online is available standalone for £8.99 / $9.99 on Xbox, or for free on PlayStation for the next three months.

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To complicate matters further, the main game is currently listed at a discounted price on both platforms – 75% on PS5 and just 50% on Xbox Series S|X. This means GTA 5 can be preordered for £8.75 / $9.99 and £17.49 / $19.99 respectively.

The discount in price between on the two platforms is reportedly to make up for the monthly cost of PS Plus and Xbox Live to play GTA Online.

However, the pricing has sparked an angry reaction in some areas of the community, with many feeling this is still too high a cost for a game that has been re-released already. Players took to a Reddit thread to express their anger.

“Why do they price a 9-year-old game so high just because it’s on new-gen?” said Interesting_pilot_13. “One billion [dollars] every year isn’t enough, Rockstar needs more money because they are broke!” said GreaterfinnMertens, sarcastically.

Others felt that many players may have already paid for GTA V multiple times over the years, meaning this latest version should even come at no extra cost. “The fact that they aren’t just free at this point is straight-up embarrassing on Rockstar’s behalf.” said another user.

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“Cyberpunk was a flop at launch and even they did a free next-gen update. And what about all the shark cards people have spent on this game?” replied RetroSight.

Much like with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, it appears that a portion of the community is growing tired of paying for what is essentially the same game over and over again. We’ll have to wait and see if Rockstar responds by putting GTA 5’s next-gen version on PS Plus or Games Pass for free in the future.