Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V is an open world, action-adventure video game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It was released on 17 September 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the fifteenth title in the Grand Theft Auto series and the first main entry since Grand Theft Auto IV in 2008. Set within the fictional state of San Andreas, based on Southern California, the game's single-player story follows three criminals and their efforts to execute a number of heists while under pressure from a government agency. The game's use of open world design allows players to freely roam the state's countryside and the city of Los Santos, based on Los Angeles.

The game is played from a third-person perspective and allows players to navigate the world on-foot or by utilising a number of vehicles. Off-mission, players is free to interact with the game world at their leisure, however illegal actions may incite a response from the game's law enforcement agencies. Throughout the game, players simultaneously controls the three lead protagonists, switching between them both during and outside of missions. The story is framed by the heist sequences, and many of the missions make use of shooting and driving gameplay. The game's online multiplayer mode allows up to 16 players to roam the open world, and engage in co-operative and competitive game matches.

Development began shortly following the release of Grand Theft Auto IV. The development team envisioned Grand Theft Auto V as a spiritual successor to many of their previous projects, such as Red Dead Redemption and Max Payne 3. To innovate on the core structure of its predecessors, the team designed Grand Theft Auto V's gameplay and story around three lead characters instead of one. Creating the game's open world required extensive research; the developers conducted field research around California throughout development, capturing footage to be sent to the design team. Development effort was shared between many of Rockstar's studios around the world and required five years' work.

As one of the last titles to be released for the seventh generation of video game consoles, Grand Theft Auto V was widely anticipated preceding its release. The game was acclaimed by many reviewers upon its release, with praise particularly directed at the multiple protagonist design and open-ended gameplay. A scene depicting protagonistTrevor Philips using torture, and the game's treatment of women, polarised critics. Some labelled the game as inherently violent and misogynistic. A commercial success,Grand Theft Auto V broke industry sales records by earning US$800 million in the first 24 hours of its release and US$1 billion within its first three days, making it the fastest selling entertainment product in history. Grand Theft Auto V has earned several year-end accolades, including Game of the Year awards from several gaming publications.