Let’s be real for a second. Most of us have bought Grand Theft Auto V at least twice. Maybe three times if you’re one of those people who jumped from the Xbox 360 to the One and then decided you needed it on PC for the mods. So when Rockstar Games announced GTA V Xbox Series X enhancements, the collective groan from the community was loud enough to shake Los Santos. We all thought, "Really? Again?" But here we are, years into the current console generation, and the game still sits at the top of the charts.
There is a weird tension here. On one hand, it's a game from 2013. On the other, the technical leap on the Series X hardware makes the old Xbox One version look like a blurry, stuttering mess. It’s not just a resolution bump. It’s about how the game feels when you're flying a Hydra through downtown at 60 frames per second without the engine chugging.
What changed under the hood of the GTA V Xbox Series X version
If you're coming from the last generation, the first thing you’ll notice isn't the graphics. It's the speed. Honestly, the loading times on the old hardware were a literal meme. You could start the game, go make a sandwich, eat half of it, and still be looking at a loading screen of a girl in a bikini. With the SSD in the Xbox Series X, that’s gone. You’re into the game in seconds. It’s a quality-of-life improvement that’s hard to overstate.
Then there are the visual modes. You get three choices, and most people choose wrong.
- Fidelity Mode: This is your 4K, ray-traced, 30fps experience. It looks crisp. The shadows are better. But 30fps feels sluggish once you've seen the alternative.
- Performance Mode: This targets 60fps at upscaled 4K. This is the way the game was meant to be played. The input lag drops. Driving feels responsive. It's a transformative change for a game built on high-speed action.
- Performance RT: This is the middle ground. It tries to hit 60fps while keeping some ray-tracing features.
Does the ray tracing matter? Kinda. It's mostly "Ray-Traced Shadows" rather than the full-blown reflections you see in Cyberpunk 2077 or Control. You'll notice it most in the way light filters through the trees in Paleto Bay or how shadows soften under the streetlights in Vinewood. It adds a layer of depth that makes the world feel less like a stage set and more like a living place.
The HDR and Texture Upgrades
Rockstar didn't just flip a switch. They reworked some of the textures. Look closely at the pavement or the denim on Franklin’s jacket. There is more grit. The HDR implementation is also surprisingly solid, assuming you have a TV that can actually handle it. The neon lights of the Del Perro Pier pop against the night sky in a way the Xbox One version never could. It’s a subtle evolution, but when you pile all these small things together—the 60fps, the faster loads, the sharper textures—the GTA V Xbox Series X experience starts to feel like a modern game rather than a fossil.
GTA Online and the "Expanded and Enhanced" controversy
We have to talk about the branding. Rockstar called this "Expanded and Enhanced," which led people to believe there would be new map areas or massive single-player DLC. That didn't happen. The "Expanded" part mostly refers to GTA Online. If you’re a solo player who just wants to cause chaos as Trevor, you might feel a bit let down by the lack of new story content.
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However, the Series X version introduced Hao’s Special Works (HSW). This is an exclusive auto shop in the LS Car Meet that lets you upgrade specific vehicles to speeds that would have crashed the old consoles. The Xbox One literally couldn't stream the map fast enough to handle cars going this fast. On the Series X, you can tear down the Great Ocean Highway at 150+ mph and the world doesn't pop in or disappear beneath your wheels.
The onboarding process for new players also got a massive overhaul. You get a "Career Builder" that hands you 4 million GTA dollars and a business right out of the gate. It’s a smart move. It prevents new players from being endlessly bullied by veterans on Oppressor Mk IIs—at least for the first twenty minutes.
The technical reality: Is it a "remake"?
No. Definitely not.
If you go into this expecting Resident Evil 4 levels of reimagining, you’re going to be disappointed. This is a "remaster-plus." The character models, particularly in the face, still show their age. The animations can be stiff compared to Red Dead Redemption 2. It’s important to remember that the bones of this game are ancient.
But here is the thing: Los Santos is still the gold standard for open-world design. No other developer has managed to capture the "vibe" of a city quite like this. The way the NPCs interact, the radio stations, the satirical world-building—it all holds up. When you play GTA V Xbox Series X, you’re seeing that world in its best possible light. It’s the definitive console version, period.
The price of entry and the migration headache
One of the biggest gripes was the cost. While it was discounted at launch, it eventually moved to a paid model. Many felt it should have been a Smart Delivery update. Microsoft’s Smart Delivery is usually great, but Rockstar chose to treat this as a separate SKU.
Transferring your character is also a one-time deal. Once you move your GTA Online character from the old gen to the Series X version, they are gone from the old version. You can't play with your friends who are still on the Xbox One unless you start a brand-new character. This has caused plenty of friction in crews where half the group upgraded and the other half didn't.
Why people still play it in 2026
It's about the ecosystem. GTA Online has become a platform of its own. Between the Cayo Perico heist, the Contract with Dr. Dre, and the constant drip-feed of cars, there is always something to do. The Series X hardware just makes those activities less frustrating. Fewer crashes, no more "joining session" screens that last for five minutes, and a frame rate that doesn't tank during heavy explosions.
The ecosystem is also why the game survives. You've got roleplayers, racers, griefers, and grinders all occupying the same space. The Series X version handles the chaos of a full 30-player lobby significantly better than the previous consoles.
Comparing it to the PC version
For a long time, PC was the only way to get 60fps and 4K. The GTA V Xbox Series X version actually narrows that gap significantly. In some ways, the console version is more stable than the PC port, which has been plagued by security issues and modder-driven instability over the years.
While a high-end PC with an RTX 4090 will still win on pure raw power, the Series X offers a "fire and forget" experience. You turn it on, it works, and it looks 90% as good as the maxed-out PC settings. For the average gamer sitting on a couch, that 10% difference isn't worth the headache of troubleshooting Windows drivers.
Surprising details you might have missed
Most people look at the cars and the lighting, but the Series X version also improved the density of the world. There is more "clutter." More trash on the streets, more bushes in the hills, and more traffic on the highways. This makes the world feel more occupied.
The spatial audio is another sleeper hit. If you’re using a good headset or a Dolby Atmos setup, you can actually hear where the police sirens are coming from. You can hear the roar of a plane passing overhead with actual verticality. It adds a layer of immersion that wasn't possible on the older sound engines.
Then there’s the haptic feedback on the controller. While it’s not as pronounced as the PS5’s DualSense triggers, the Xbox controller still gives you a better sense of the road. You can feel the gear shifts and the difference between driving on asphalt versus the dirt paths of Blaine County.
The Verdict on Single Player
If you only care about the story, is the upgrade worth it? Maybe. If you haven't played the campaign in five years, the 60fps makes the shooting mechanics feel much more like a modern third-person shooter and less like an old "lock-on and flick" system. But there are no new missions, no new Easter eggs (that we've found yet), and no changes to the script. It’s the same story, just prettier.
Actionable steps for Xbox Series X owners
If you’re sitting on the fence, here is how you should handle the transition to avoid the common pitfalls.
Check your version first
Ensure you are actually downloading the "Expanded and Enhanced" version (the one with the gold-bordered logo) and not just the Xbox One version via backwards compatibility. You wouldn't believe how many people play the old version on their new console and wonder why it doesn't look different.
Optimize your display settings
- Motion Blur: Turn this down or off. With 60fps, you don't need the fake blur to hide frame drops anymore. It makes the image much cleaner.
- Deadzone Settings: The Series X version allows for more fine-tuning of the controller deadzones. Lowering these makes the aiming feel snappy.
- HDR Calibration: Don't just leave it at default. Use the in-game calibration tool to make sure the blacks aren't crushed and the whites aren't blowing out the detail.
Plan your character migration
Before you hit the "Migrate" button, make sure your friends are ready. If your squad is still on the Xbox One, you will be stranded on an island. You can have the best-looking game in the world, but it doesn't matter if you're playing alone.
Focus on HSW upgrades early
In GTA Online, go straight to the LS Car Meet. The HSW upgrades are the single biggest gameplay difference in the Series X version. These cars are essentially "unlocked" from the old speed limits of the engine.
Grand Theft Auto V on the Series X isn't a new game, but it is the best version of a classic. Whether that’s worth the price of admission depends entirely on how much you value your time (loading screens) and your eyes (60fps). If you’re still playing regularly, the upgrade is a no-brainer. If you’re waiting for GTA VI, this is the best way to kill the time until we finally get to return to Vice City.