In the modern gaming age, it is no longer surprising for some of the biggest titles to have an update right out of the gate.
That will be the case with the next-gen release of Grand Theft Auto V on Nov. 18. Rockstar says the game will receive a day one update that includes some last minute fixs and optimizations to ensure a smoother game experience. Rockstar will also be keeping an eye out for day one problems, which there will almost certainly be.
"We have, of course, tested the game extensively but there is no way our several hundred testers can be quite as comprehensive as millions of players!" the developer says in a blog post. "Please bear with us should any issues arise - we will be working hard to fix any problems that arise, and generally ensure this launch is as smooth as possible."
It's nice to see Rockstar being upfront with fans about possible problems. GTA V upon its original release on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 suffered from problems as players couldn't connect to servers. Two recent high-profile game launches have also been mired by online problems, made even worse by the fact that players in no way expected them. Sony's racing game Driveclub, released on Oct. 7, has been near unplayable online since launch. Microsoft's Halo: The Master Chief Collection is also experiencing a number of issues, from glitches and bugs, to online matchmaking failing to work.
Rockstar says it will be looking for player feedback on how to improve GTA V moving forward, as well as relying on fans to point out technical problems that need fixing. The developer says fans voicing their feedback has led to "countless enhancements" in GTA Online, GTA V's online mode.
"We've said since the very beginning that Grand Theft Auto Online is as much yours as the players and residents of San Andreas, as it is ours as Rockstar Games -we're very excited to continue the collaboration ahead," Rockstar says.
The game will be shipping with a number of new features, including 30 player multiplayer, a new character creator and the wildly impressive first-person mode. Those are just a few reasons unforeseen problems may arise when the game launches, as well as the huge influx of new players swamping the servers on launch day. Fans can only hope Rockstar has learned from GTA Online's first launch and everything will run smoothly come Nov. 18.
Photo: Rockstar Games
