Rockstar's latest update, Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced, which launched on March 4, has not been well-received by the Steam community. The game currently holds a 'mixed' user review rating, with only 54% of the 19,772 reviews being positive. This is a stark contrast to the original GTA 5 on Steam, which, despite being unlisted and no longer appearing in searches, boasts a 'very positive' rating. In fact, GTA 5 Enhanced is the lowest-rated GTA title on Steam, even falling below Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition, which has a 66% positive review rating.
GTA 5 Enhanced offers a free upgrade for PC players, introducing features previously exclusive to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S versions of GTA Online. These include new vehicles and performance upgrades at Hao’s Special Works, animal encounters, and the ability to purchase a GTA+ Membership. The update also brings enhanced graphics options and quicker 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
15 Images
However, the upgrade process has been marred by issues, particularly with account migration. Many players have reported problems transferring their existing profiles, which has led to a significant number of negative reviews. Some users have expressed frustration over the inability to migrate their accounts, with one player stating, "The GTA Online profile associated with this Rockstar Games account is not eligible for migration at this time," and refusing to start over after investing nearly 700 hours in their character. Others have criticized Rockstar's support for being unhelpful and described the new version as an "objective downgrade" from the legacy version.
Despite these challenges, GTA 5 Enhanced remains popular on Steam, achieving a peak concurrent player count of 187,059 since its launch. However, the issues have raised concerns among PC gamers about the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6, with fears that similar problems could affect its launch.
GTA 6 is set to launch in the fall of 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, leaving PC gamers waiting for a later release. A former Rockstar developer has urged PC gamers to be patient and give the studio the "benefit of the doubt" regarding its launch strategy. Meanwhile, Take-Two's CEO, Strauss Zelnick, has addressed concerns about the future of GTA Online post-GTA 6, and the company has taken legal action against PlayerAuctions for selling unauthorized GTA 5 content.
In related news, Rockstar has acquired Video Games Deluxe, the developer behind Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, and renamed it Rockstar Australia.
