Rockstar's latest iteration of Grand Theft Auto 5, known as GTA 5 Enhanced, has not been well-received on Steam since its release in early March. Launched on March 4, GTA 5 Enhanced has garnered a 'mixed' user review rating, with only 54% of the 19,772 user reviews being positive. This is in stark contrast to the original GTA 5 on Steam, which, though now unlisted and unable to appear in searches at the request of Rockstar Games, boasts a 'very positive' user review rating.
Interestingly, GTA 5 Enhanced currently holds the title for the lowest user-reviewed GTA title on Steam, surpassing even Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition, which stands at 66% positive reviews. 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 features include access to the latest vehicles and performance upgrades at Hao’s Special Works, animal encounters, and the ability to purchase a GTA+ Membership, alongside enhanced graphics options and faster loading times. All existing PC owners of GTA 5 can upgrade to this version at no cost, with the option to transfer their Story Mode and Online progress.
Every Celebrity in GTA 5 and GTA Online
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Despite these enhancements, the account migration process has been fraught with issues, contributing significantly to the negative feedback. Many players have reported problems with transferring their profiles, with error messages such as "The GTA Online profile associated with this Rockstar Games account is not eligible for migration at this time" being common. This has led to frustration among the community, with some players feeling forced to abandon substantial gameplay progress.
One player expressed their frustration vividly, stating, "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 review highlighted the dissatisfaction with account migration and support, noting, "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 player 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 continues to be a popular title on Steam, achieving a peak concurrent player count of 187,059 since its launch. However, the troubled rollout has raised concerns among PC gamers about the potential launch of Grand Theft Auto 6 on PC, with fears that similar issues could arise.
GTA 6 is slated for a fall 2025 release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, leaving PC gamers to wait longer. In December 2023, a former Rockstar developer attempted to explain the delayed PC release, urging PC gamers to give the studio the "benefit of the doubt" regarding its launch strategy.
For more on GTA 6, check out Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick's response to concerns about the future of GTA Online post-GTA 6 launch. Meanwhile, Take-Two is embroiled in legal action against online marketplace PlayerAuctions, accusing it of hosting unauthorized GTA 5 content, including modified accounts and virtual currency obtained through hacking and exploits.
In related news, Rockstar has recently acquired Video Games Deluxe, the developer behind Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, and renamed it Rockstar Australia.
