Rockstar's latest iteration of Grand Theft Auto 5, known as GTA 5 Enhanced, has faced a rocky reception since its release on March 4. The game has garnered a 'mixed' user review rating on Steam, with only 54% of the 19,772 reviews being positive. This is a stark contrast to the original GTA 5 on Steam, which, though no longer listed at Rockstar's request, boasts a 'very positive' rating. In fact, GTA 5 Enhanced currently holds the dubious distinction of being the lowest-rated GTA game on Steam, falling even below Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition, which has a 66% positive review score.
GTA 5 Enhanced offers a free upgrade to PC players, introducing features previously exclusive to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S versions of GTA Online. These include access to Hao’s Special Works for the latest vehicles and performance upgrades, animal encounters, and the ability to purchase a GTA+ Membership. Additionally, the update brings enhanced graphics options and faster loading times. All existing GTA 5 PC owners can upgrade for free and transfer their Story Mode and Online progress.
Every Celebrity in GTA 5 and GTA Online
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Despite the appeal of these new features, the account migration process has been a major point of contention among players. Many have reported issues with migrating their existing accounts to the new version, which has led to widespread frustration and negative feedback. One player expressed their dismay, stating, "‘The GTA Online profile associated with this Rockstar Games account is not eligible for migration at this time,’ If you think I'm throwing away nearly 700 hours of gameplay on one character so that you can make a few more bucks off me, then you can lick my anal orifice clean."
Another review echoed similar sentiments, pointing out the downgrade from the original version: "This is an objective downgrade from the ‘old’ version. Gonna pretend this was never released and continue to enjoy Legacy version until the new game comes out when I'm 60."
A third player criticized the arbitrary nature of the migration process and the lack of support: "I'm leaving a negative review mainly due to Rockstar deciding that some accounts should arbitrarily not be able to migrate, and if you ask for help from support, they just say they can't do anything about it."
Yet another frustrated user shared their experience: "I can't migrate either of my two accounts. R* support is completely useless and can't help. With the game being over 10 years old I am sure as hell not going to completely restart all my progress in Online just to get marginally better graphics (if that) and HSW and whatever other minuscule stuff they added."
Despite the negative feedback, GTA 5 Enhanced remains popular, with a peak concurrent player count of 187,059 on Steam since its launch. However, the issues have raised concerns among the PC gaming community about the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6, with fears that similar problems could plague its launch.
GTA 6 is set to launch in the fall of 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, with no immediate plans for a PC release. This decision has sparked debate, and a former Rockstar developer has asked PC gamers to give the studio the "benefit of the doubt" regarding its launch strategy.
In related news, Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick has addressed concerns about the future of GTA Online post-GTA 6, while Take-Two has taken legal action against PlayerAuctions for unauthorized GTA 5 content. Additionally, Rockstar has recently acquired the developer of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, renaming it Rockstar Australia.
