5 Niko Bellic references hidden in GTA 5 that players might have missed

GTA games are chock-full of Easter eggs and references, and GTA 5 is no exception. Rockstar Games is well-known for incorporating recurring motifs directly and indirectly. The latest installment in the game also contains elements that denote Grand Theft Auto 4 and its protagonist, Niko Bellic.

Niko is one of the most popular main characters in the franchise, with a devoted following. He is well-known for his thought-provoking dialogs and harsh life experiences that also apply outside the gaming world.

However, the game designers put most of these references hidden from direct perception and are likelier to be missed or overlooked. This article lists five Niko Bellic references in GTA 5 and its multiplayer version that you may have missed.

Note: This article is subjective and only reflects the writer's opinions.

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Five references in GTA 5 that remind us of Niko Bellic from Grand Theft Auto 4

1) Niko Bellic's LifeInvader page

While Niko Bellic was late to the digital world of social media and email, he is certainly not without it. The character was compelled to "go online" by his cousin Roman Bellic and is still active on his LifeInvader page.

In GTA 5 Story Mode, Jimmy De Santa, Michael De Santa's son, can be seen browsing through Niko's LifeInvader profile at one of the random moments in the game. If you want to find it, look at Jimmy's laptop screen while he sits at his home dining table.

While Niko's profile picture and other caricatures on the website are visible, the text is difficult to read.

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2) Niko Bellic as the father in Grand Theft Auto Online

When creating a playable character for GTA 5's multiplayer mode, players can select Niko Bellic as the father on the character appearance screen. Rockstar Games has included Niko's image and first name in the interaction menu, which is also one of the first references to him in the multiplayer game.

Choosing Niko immediately impacts your character's standard guise and cannot be changed without creating a completely new one. However, players can change the character's appearance by combining it with the mother's characteristics.

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3) Easter Eggs in Yellow Jack Inn

The Yellow Jack Inn, located between Panorama Drive and Route 68 in the Grand Senora Desert, Blaine County, has two Easter Eggs referencing Niko Bellic. GTA 5 players can enter the bar and look to their immediate left for a coat hanger with a jacket that loosely resembles Niko's first brown jacket in Grand Theft Auto 4.

When you enter the second door, take a 360-degree turn to the left and look at the hung photograph near the Juke Box to see a tow truck and driver who resembles Niko Bellic. The truck is also similar to those seen in the previous GTA game.

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4) Michelle indirectly talks about Niko in Grand Theft Auto Online

FIB Agent Karen Daniels, aka Michelle, returns to the multiplayer game and talks about her events in the past. Players who have completed the Human Labs raid finale can see her talking about trappings, cajoling, and other methods to entice criminals to help her.

This is an obvious reference to Niko Bellic, as she was his first girlfriend in the game and used him to carry out her plans.

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5) Roman’s cab company’s vehicles in GTA 5

A number plate referring to Roman Bellic (Image via Sportskeeda)

In one of the private fares for Downtown Cab Co., Franklin is assigned to bring a customer to the docks to deal with The Lost MC bikers. On the site, players can see two vehicles with license plates that read "NIKOB" and "ROMANB."

This is a nod to both Bellic brothers, and the vehicles are similar to those used by Roman in his taxi service.