Rockstar's latest release, Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced, which launched on March 4, has not been well-received on Steam, currently holding a 'mixed' user review rating. Out of 19,772 reviews, only 54% are positive, a stark contrast to the 'very positive' rating of the original GTA 5, which is now unlisted on Steam at Rockstar's request. In fact, GTA 5 Enhanced is the lowest-rated GTA game on Steam, with Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition coming in second with a 66% positive review score.
The Enhanced version offers a free upgrade for PC owners of GTA 5, featuring enhancements 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 option to purchase a GTA+ Membership. Additionally, the upgrade brings improved graphics and faster loading times. All current 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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However, the upgrade process has been marred by significant issues, particularly with account migration. Many players have reported problems, with the majority of negative reviews citing these migration difficulties. One frustrated player shared, "‘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. 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."
Another player expressed similar frustrations, stating, "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." A third review added, "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 these issues, GTA 5 Enhanced remains popular on Steam, reaching a peak concurrent player count of 187,059 since its launch. However, these problems have raised concerns among PC gamers about the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6. GTA 6 is set to launch in the fall of 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, with no initial PC release planned. This has led to speculation and worry about potential launch issues for the PC version, following the troubled rollout of GTA 5 Enhanced.
In related news, Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar, has filed a lawsuit against the online marketplace PlayerAuctions for selling unauthorized GTA 5 content, including modified player accounts, in-game assets, and virtual currency obtained through hacking and exploits. Additionally, Rockstar has acquired Video Games Deluxe, the developer behind Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, and renamed it Rockstar Australia.
