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Grand Theft Auto V, the most profitable game ever, is now on Xbox Game Pass

GTA Online: The Diamond Casino Heist

Grand Theft Auto V is the most profitable entertainment product in history — video games or otherwise — but Microsoft means serious business with its Xbox Game Pass subscription program. Despite still selling boatloads of copies during 2019, the game has arrived to Xbox Game Pass, meaning subscribers can play it for no extra charge on Xbox One.

Available now on Xbox Game Pass, but only on console, Grand Theft Auto V typically costs between $15 and $30 if purchased from the Microsoft Store. The full single-player experience can be played with just an Xbox Game Pass subscription, which requires you to download the full game to your system instead of streaming it, as is the case with the upcoming Project xCloud.

If you have an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or Xbox Live Gold subscription, as well, you can also access the Grand Theft Auto Online component. This mode is still getting consistent content updates on a regular basis, despite Rockstar Games’ newer Red Dead Redemption 2 already being more than a year old. Grand Theft Auto V has shown a longevity that few other games, if any, have ever matched, and it’s easy to see why. The city of Los Santos is filled with nearly endless activities to complete and locations to visit, and you’re free to make your own fun if you don’t want to complete missions and advance the story. This is even truer when playing online with your friends.

best ps4 games grand theft auto v
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Grand Theft Auto V didn’t even launch on the current generation of consoles, either. It first released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 before arriving with additional features to the newer systems at a later date. Because Xbox Series X will feature full backward compatibility with Xbox One, you should be able to keep playing from the same account when the new system launches later this year. That is, of course, assuming Rockstar Games doesn’t go ahead and bring a new version of the game to Xbox Series X, as well.

There has never been a better time to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass than right now. Not only can you still grab a three-month subscription for just $1, but you can also play The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt as part of Xbox Game Pass now. The game became available just a day before the launch of The Witcher on Netflix.

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Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
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