Rockstar makes GTA 5 upgrade on PS5, Xbox Series X and PC free

Rockstar wants players to upgrade ahead of major GTA Online update and GTA 6 release

Rockstar Games is rolling out a big update this week for Grand Theft Auto 5 players still playing on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, letting them upgrade to the current-generation versions of the game completely free of charge. Rockstar announced Wednesday, with new PC-only features coming to owners of the "Legacy" version of the game.

On Thursday, June 18, Grand Theft Auto 5 players who own any PS4 version or the Xbox One digital version will be able to upgrade to the PS5 or Xbox Series X version at no additional cost, Rockstar said in a news release. Rockstar said the upgrade will let PS5 and Xbox Series X players experience "the best versions" of GTA 5 and Grand Theft Auto Online. Rockstar plans to release a major update to GTA Online, the Kortz Center Heist, in July, and is prepping players for that content update.

GTA 5 and GTA Online on PS5 and Xbox Series X feature "vast technical improvements, easy migration of your Story Mode and Online progress, and new features including Hao’s Special Works high-performance vehicles and upgrades, [and] Career Progress rewards," Rockstar said.

Rockstar released "expanded and enhanced versions" of Grand Theft Auto 5 and Grand Theft Auto Online on PS5 and Xbox Series X in 2022. The updates featured "a range of technical improvements, visual upgrades and performance enhancements to take full advantage of the console’s powerful new hardware, making the game more beautiful and more responsive than ever," Rockstar said at the time.

GTA 5 players on PC can also experience all the game's technical updates, including "PC-only features such as ray-traced ambient occlusion and global illumination," by upgrading from the Legacy version to the Enhanced version for free, Rockstar said. The Enhanced updates for PC were released in March 2025.

Of course, there's another benefit to finally upgrading to the current-gen console versions of GTA 5 and GTA Online: That's where Rockstar plans to release Grand Theft Auto 6 this November. (A PC version has not yet been confirmed.)

Grand Theft Auto 5 was originally released in 2013 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Rockstar then released PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game in 2014, and a Windows PC version in 2015. The studio has consistently updated GTA 5 and GTA Online with new content and technical improvements, and it remains one of the most-played games on PC. The Legacy version of GTA 5 still maintains about 100,000 concurrent players on Steam, while the Enhanced version routinely peaks at about 80,000 concurrent players on Steam.

Rockstar's highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6 is still on schedule for a Nov. 19 release, a blast zone which other publishers are desperately trying to avoid.