GTA Online: 5 things Rockstar can do to improve the game experience on next-gen consoles

Rockstar Games announced a surprise GTA release during the PS5 Reveal Event, but fans weren't exactly very excited once the game was revealed to be GTA V re-releasing on next-gen consoles instead of a new Grand Theft Auto game.

The news was met with disappointment across the board, while some maintained that the re-release would significantly improve the game's experience. Along with an 'Expanded and Enhanced' version of GTA V, its online counterpart, Grand Theft Auto: Online, will also be arriving on next-gen consoles, though as a standalone title.

This opens up many possibilities for Rockstar to experiment with the game and introduce newer things that will enhance the game's experience. With both the PS5 and Xbox Series X boasting of some pretty powerful hardware, fans can dare to hope for improvements when it comes to GTA Online.

GTA Online: 5 things Rockstar can do to improve the game's experience on next-gen consoles

1) Better frame-rate

It is almost a given that for a game that is nearly two generations old at this point to have significantly improved performance on newer hardware. While there has always been a certain trade-off when it comes to the performance regarding the frame rate and resolution, both the PS5 and Xbox Series X are powerful enough to balance both quite well.

Improved hardware has dispelled all notions of consoles holding back the development of games as the new consoles are just as powerful as a high-end PC.

Rockstar should be looking to get the maximum performance out of next-gen consoles and aim for higher frame rates, thus improving the game's experience quite a bit.

2) Reduced load times

One of the biggest things working against the GTA Online experience seems to be the staggering load times while playing the game. It takes an enormous amount of time for loading a match or the game world in Free Roam, making for an extremely taxing experience.

The game world is absolutely mind-boggling when it comes to the detail, and considering the amount of chaos the players create, the load times are understandable. However, improved tech and the console's SSD's are sure to cut down the load times.

Rockstar also stands to gain a lot by improving matchmaking, which is one of the biggest issues in GTA Online.

3) More interiors

There are a lot more interactable interiors in GTA Online than in GTA V, but Rockstar can go that extra mile and add more to expand the game's experience.

CD Projekt Red has explained that the game world in Cyberpunk 2077 isn't just expansive horizontally but vertically as well, meaning that the building's interiors also provide many areas for gameplay and interaction.

GTA Online could also opt for a similar approach and not have the interiors be separated from the rest of the game world through load screens. This would shake things up in a significant way for the game.

4) Bigger heists

GTA Online will be the perfect candidate for having new tech on next-gen consoles for developers to get creative and ambitious. Whether it be the universe and dimension-hopping of Ratchet and Clank or the impressive intricate level designs of Deathloop, the PS5 has shown that it is capable of powering a truly inspired game design.

Rockstar, being Rockstar, has never shied away from ambition and creating an absolutely staggering Heist that involves many players that would work well in their favor.

5) Destructible environments

This would definitely be a dream come true for the most chaotic of players in GTA Online. The only thing that is more satisfying than firing a missile onto a rival player is firing a missile into the building they occupy within the game world and watching it crumble into pieces.

It would definitely take a lot of work but is really something Rockstar should consider. This might appear like a minor change on the face of it, but the possibilities are simply endless.

Games like Battlefield: Bad Company and Crackdown are great examples of using destructible environments outside of just cosmetic value and for gameplay purposes.