While Rockstar fixes all the woes of the GTA Online component of GTA V, a lot of other gamers who have decided to save their money and wait for Rockstar to announce the definitive version of the game. The real question however, is will you buy GTA V for PC or will you get it for the next-gen consoles?
Rockstar recently opened up GTA Online last week on October 1st. A lot of current-gen gamers had the opportunity to dive into the mode and experience all sorts of lag, character wipes and more headaches than the morning-after a 100 bottle Jack Daniels taste-test the night before. As outlined in the latest article chronicling the great fall and potential rise of GTA Online, current-gen gamers are basically beta-testing GTA Online for the eventual roll-out of the real content and the main course, which will feature tons more modes, features, heists and other goodies.
Based on the code found within the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of GTA V, Rockstar already has a PC version pretty much near complete and the groundwork for a PS4 version (and presumably an Xbox One version) laid down nice and neat. Based on the data, which points to completed image assets, models and configuration data, it's literally just a matter of “when” the game will release for the higher-end system. More than likely, it will probably roll out after Rockstar gets a good, streamlined handle on GTA Online.
So for those of you who are planning on getting a next-gen console, would you get GTA V for the Xbox One or PS4 when it does come out or would you go with PC?
Now, some gamers worry about the PC rendition of GTA V based on the shoddy port that was GTA IV. However, Rockstar really did redeem themselves with Max Payne 3, which was one of the most optimized games on PC throughout the entire seventh generation of gaming. Added to this, all of GTA V's data structures point to the game being made on PC first (especially regarding features Rockstar purposefully removed to maintain frame parity for the Xbox 360 and PS3), so it's likely that the game will be extremely well-optimized for PC. However, for those who want a high-end visual experience of the game but may not have a high-end PC that's up to the task, a console might be the only option, even if the game is highly optimized for PC.
The question then becomes: is it more cost efficient to upgrade your PC to experience the definitive version of GTA V or would you rather just invest in a home console and then get the game for a next-gen console from Sony or Microsoft?
What's more is that it's not just about whether or not you go with a next-gen outing or a PC version of the game, but which next-gen version? While there were no hints of an Xbox One version in the code for GTA V, do you still get an Xbox One if you're a fanboy and hope the game arrives? It really could skip on the system given what happened with Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition, which is coming to PS4 and PC but not the Xbox One. Alternatively, do you limit your choice between the PS4 and PC, which at least seem to be on the table for a GTA V release?
If you like mods your answer is simple. If you like convenience your answer is simple. If you're undecided, have some cash to burn and can afford a $500 PC or a next-gen console, your answer isn't so simple. So which high-end platform would you buy GTA V for?
