The team found the multiple protagonist design a fundamental change to the story and gameplay devices. For the first time in the series, players control three protagonists throughout the single-player mode. The proprietary Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE) was overhauled to increase its draw distance rendering capabilities. Key team members conducted field trips around Southern California to gather research and footage, and Google Maps projections of Los Angeles were used to help design the city's road networks. The open world setting, modelled on Los Angeles and other areas of Southern California, constituted much of the development effort.

Its release date, though subject to several delays, was widely anticipated. After its unexpected announcement in 2011, the game was fervently promoted with press showings, cinematic trailers, viral marketing strategies and special editions. The team considered the game a spiritual successor to many of their previous projects like Red Dead Redemption and Max Payne 3. The first main Grand Theft Auto series entry since Grand Theft Auto IV, its development was led by Rockstar North's core 360-person team, who collaborated with several other international Rockstar studios. Rockstar Games released the action-adventure game in September 2013 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, in November 2014 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and in April 2015 for Microsoft Windows PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions are scheduled for March 2022. Rockstar North's former studio in Edinburgh, Scotland, where Grand Theft Auto V 's development was overseenĪ team of approximately 1,000 people developed Grand Theft Auto V over several years.

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