Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V, originally released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, arrived in a reworked form on Xbox One as well, with improved graphics, denser traffic, new wildlife, and an expanded range of content for the online mode. The game takes place in the fictional metropolis of Los Santos and its surroundings, inspired by Southern California, and as the first entry in the series offers a story told from the perspective of three different protagonists — former bank robber Michael, street gangster Franklin, and unpredictable Trevor — between whom players can switch at any time during gameplay, allowing heists to be followed from multiple angles at once. It's precisely the big heists that rank among the campaign's highlights — the player chooses an approach, hires helpers with different skill sets, and bears the consequences of their decisions right through to the execution of the job itself.

The open world ranks among the largest and most detailed in the history of the gaming industry, with an elaborate stock-market economy that can be influenced through decisions made during main missions, and it offers dozens of side activities from golf and tennis to skydiving. The Xbox One console version additionally added an optional first-person perspective, which completely reworked vehicle and shooting controls and essentially offered a second way to experience the entire game.

The multiplayer mode Grand Theft Auto Online gradually evolved from a supplementary add-on into a standalone, commercially the most successful online world from Rockstar Games, regularly expanded with new content, vehicles, and story updates throughout the entire Xbox One generation. The game also became known for its sophisticated, often sarcastic satire of American consumer society, media, and celebrity culture, which permeates radio stations, billboard advertisements, and side characters alike. Grand Theft Auto V became one of the best-selling entertainment products in history across all media, not just video games, and even years later it remains among the most-played titles on the charts.