Should Rockstar expand GTA 5's map in future updates?

In terms of scope, ambition, and popularity, GTA 5 is the largest GTA game ever produced. It also has the largest map ever created by Rockstar.

Having a massive open-world environment has almost become a necessity in the video game industry today. Almost every major AAA title belongs to the open-world category.

Yet GTA games have been pioneers in this genre, building convincing sandbox game worlds long before it became the norm.

Every time a GTA game is released, it sets a new benchmark for the open-world genre and breaks the boundaries set by the previous game. GTA 5 set a similar record when it came out, and Red Dead Redemption expanded on that front even further.

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GTA 5: Should future updates increase the map size?

Size vs Quality

Rockstar has proven time and again that their game worlds are some of the liveliest and most believable. Whether it's an 80s nostalgic rendition of Miami, a small town with a boarding school, or even an Old West setting, all of them are meticulously detailed.

The 3D Universe continued the trend of increasing map size culminating with GTA San Andreas. GTA 4 introduced a much smaller world which was, however, the most realistic one they ever made.

With GTA 5, Rockstar continued the earlier trend of larger maps and introduced a larger recreation of the State of San Andreas.

However, most players felt that a lot of the map was just acting as fillers, and content did not increase as much as the size did. This brings fans to a common question which applies to video games today: Is size really more important than quality?

Fuel presents a massive open-world where getting from one point to another is a challenge (Image via Codemasters)

Fuel, a racing game set in a post-apocalyptic open-world, has one of the largest maps ever made in a video game. Considering it was released in 2009, a map as big as the state of Connecticut was an impressive feat. Yet the game was criticized for its poor AI and game mechanics.

Hence, a larger map may not always be a better option when it comes to open-world video games. A small castle with innumerable secrets would be much more engaging than a massive desert with nothing in it.

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Minor map expansions or complete overhaul?

The Cayo Perico update for GTA Online brought a surprising new addition to the game. This was the first time that an update had included a whole new island to explore, although it isn't accessible in free roam without mods.

Renowned leaker Tom Henderson has been claiming that GTA 6 will have an evolving map in the game. It is supposed to change with regular updates, in a somewhat similar manner to GTA Online, but on a greater scale.

If this indeed turns out to be true, it might be a novel method of creating large and interesting game worlds. This would rule out the need to create filler spaces to merely present an illusion of vastness.

It would also mean that a map doesn't need to be moderate in size to be more engaging to players.