5 things GTA 5 Enhanced still doesn't offer in 2025

GTA 5 Enhanced is the latest version of Grand Theft Auto 5, released by Rockstar Games exclusively for PC in March 2025. It is equivalent to the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S port of the title (aka Expanded and Enhanced) that came out back in 2022. Although some noteworthy improvements (like the integration of ray tracing elements, for example) have been made in this version, a lot is still left to be desired.

Yes, the gameplay is as enjoyable as before and even better in some ways. However, it seems like a lot more could have been done, especially in the new PC version. In this article, we will take a look at five things that GTA 5 Enhanced still does not offer in 2025.

Here are 5 things GTA 5 Enhanced still doesn't offer in 2025

1) A significant graphical upgrade

A still from Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced PC (Image via Rockstar Games)

GTA 5 Enhanced has made some improvements in the visual effects department. Features like Ray Traced Ambient Occlusion, Global Illumination, Shadows, and Reflections are all available in the latest port, and they do make the game look better than the previous version, to an extent.

That said, the graphical upgrade isn't that huge and is pretty much on par with the 2022 current-gen console port. Mods such as NaturalVision Evolved have shown how much of a difference can be made with a significant graphical upgrade. This is why it's very unfortunate that GTA 5 Enhanced PC didn't do much in this area, even in 2025.

Check out: How to turn on Ray Tracing in Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced PC

2) Dense vegetation

Fun fact: A lot more vegetation was originally planned for GTA 5’s map, but it was scaled down due to PS3’s hardware limitations. That’s why there is so much empty grass-filled land in Los Santos and the rest of Blaine County! byu/BlackDabiTodoroki inGTA

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Grand Theft Auto 5's map features the city of Los Santos and the wilderness of Blaine County. The latter has a desert, as well as a forest far up north that, as one would expect, has dense vegetation. Interestingly enough, development images of the game suggest the presence of dense and diverse foliage in other areas of the map too, which is a stark difference from the final release.

It is assumed that it may have been reduced owing to technological limitations, considering the game came out first on the PS3 and the Xbox 360. However, GTA 5 Enhanced PC (and even its current-gen console version) could likely have handled that, as they're much more recent and were released for more powerful hardware. While the absence of dense foliage doesn't make a big difference in gameplay, increased levels of the same in areas like Los Santos could've made the map more vibrant.

3) Text chat in the PC multiplayer

The lack of text chat has made communication difficult (Image via Rockstar Games)

Text chat has been absent from GTA 5 Enhanced PC's multiplayer (Grand Theft Auto Online) since its launch. Players have been complaining about this ever since they found out, but even more than a month after release, this hasn't been fixed, and it also isn't known when or if at all the feature will be added in the future.

Needless to say, text chat is a vital tool for communication in an online environment, especially during missions and heists. As such, its absence has been a major downside of the game's new PC version.

Also read: Text Chat reportedly not supported in Grand Theft Auto Online Enhanced Edition PC

4) Crossplay

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Crossplay, a feature that lets PC and console gamers play the same title together, is slowly becoming a staple in modern multiplayer games. It was absent from the original Grand Theft Auto Online, wasn't added in GTA 5 Expanded and Enhanced for current-generation consoles, and is missing from the latest PC version as well, which is quite disappointing.

Furthermore, Rockstar notified that crossplay isn't even possible on PC between Grand Theft Auto 5 Legacy and Enhanced users.

5) More pronounced vehicle damage effects

Vehicle damage effects were significantly toned down in Grand Theft Auto 5 as compared to Grand Theft Auto 4. Your cars can walk away with minimal damage (visual) despite hitting objects at a really high speed, which looks pretty odd.

Similar to the earlier vegetation-related complaint, this one might also be related to technological limitations in the original release. But this begs the question: Why hasn't vehicle damage improved in the new ports? It is unlikely to be changed at this point in the game's life cycle, so let's hope that GTA 6 does better in this area.

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About the author

Suyash is an Esports and Gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who specializes in Rockstar Games' GTA franchise. Suyash uses in-depth research and knowledge of his immense experience with the game series to ensure readers have access to the most reliable information. His insightful content pieces have raked in more than 5 million views in just a little over a year's time.

Suyash holds a B.Tech degree and ventured into the world of gaming at a young age through the Prince of Persia Sands of Time trilogy. However, upon encountering GTA Vice City’s 1980s aesthetic, music, and vintage cars, he became enamored with the game, leading him to explore the rest of the franchise.

Suyash prefers solo titles to multiplayer, especially ones with a well-crafted story and character arcs. He admires journalist Jason Schreier for the respect he commands in the industry and the reliability of his news pieces. To ensure the accuracy of his own pieces, he checks multiple reputable sources and insiders.

If he were to recommend a game to a skeptic, it would be Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series. When he’s not roaming the streets of Los Santos in GTA V, you can find him playing football, watching movies, or working out.

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Edited by Niladri Roy