Xbox One and PlayStation 4 owners might want to go ahead and circle Nov. 18 on their calendars, because that is the date players will finally be able to get their hands on the new and improved Grand Theft Auto V.
The game is coming with a number of big improvements over its last-gen counterpart. Aside from running faster and looking better, the game will include denser traffic in cities, improved weather effects, denser foliage and even better damage effects.
GTA Online fans will also be getting some love. The player count for Grand Theft Auto V's multiplayer will be increased to a maximum of 30, and those who pre-order the game will be getting $1 million in-game cash ($500,000 in single-player and $500,000 in multiplayer) to spend on new cars and vehicles. Additional new cars, weapons, challenges and activities will be a bonus for those who have completed the prologue for Grand Theft Auto V on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Players worried about losing all their last-gen progress when making the next-gen leap don't have to worry: your GTA Online character and progress will carry over to the new game on your platform of choice. The character transfer and exclusive additional content for last-gen players will require a Rockstar Games Social Club Account.
There is some bad news sprinkled amidst all of the excitement. The long-awaited PC version of the game won't be releasing alongside the Xbox One and PS4 version, instead releasing on Jan. 27 of next year.
To ease the long wait, developer Rockstar Games released a slew of beautiful new screenshots and a new trailer highlighting some of the graphical improvements coming to the game for players who purchase the game on next-gen. Though the trailer is made using footage from the PS4 version of the game, the Xbox One version will be nearly identical. You can check it out below.
Grand Theft Auto V smashed both critical and commercial records when it originally launched on Sept. 17 of last year. The game currently holds an absurdly high 97 Metacritic score across all platforms, and the game was the best-selling video game of 2013, with more than $2 billion in sales. Those numbers put in perspective why Rockstar and Publisher 2K Games are no doubt eager to convince gamers who have already played the game to re-buy it for their new console while also trying to attract those who have yet to play the title.
