5 best gameplay elements GTA series introduced in open-world genre

The GTA series is highly regarded as one of the best open-world experiences in all of gaming. Ever since Grand Theft Auto 3's release in 2001, the franchise has revolutionized the industry in several ways, introducing new features or implementing existing ones better than ever imaginable. While many have tried to replicate Grand Theft Auto's magic, very few have been able to even come close.

The next entry in the series, Grand Theft Auto 6, is set to release in 2025 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and fans expect it to raise the bar even further. With that said, let's look at the five best gameplay elements the GTA series introduced in the open-world genre.

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Quick character switching and 4 other best gameplay elements the GTA series introduced in the open-world genre

1) In-game internet

One of Grand Theft Auto 4's most interesting gameplay elements is the internet, accessible at internet cafes in its open-world. Rockstar Games developed a variety of explorable in-game websites that can be quite interesting to surf through. Moreover, players can even set dates for the protagonist from dating websites.

In Grand Theft Auto 5, through the character's smartphone, you can access the internet, with a few websites to serve as a way to buy properties and vehicles; however, the dating feature has been removed. While there are many games to play while waiting for GTA 6, very few match the immersion seen in this series.

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2) The ability to change protagonist's body shape

Character customization options like apparel and hairstyles are present in many video games, but this was taken to the next level through one of Grand Theft Auto San Andreas' best features. In this title, players can change the body shape of their protagonist, Carl "CJ" Johnson, based on what they do in the open world.

For instance, hitting the gym regularly allows CJ to develop a more muscular physique, whereas eating junk food can put on weight. What's interesting is that these changes are not just visual but affect statistics like stamina. This means the protagonist's physique affects his ability to perform certain actions like running and swimming.

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3) The ability to switch between characters at any time

Grand Theft Auto 5 is the first game in the series to include three playable protagonists. All three become playable after players complete their story mode up to a certain point. Once that is done, players can switch between the three characters anytime in freemode.

However, there are also some missions in GTA 5 that allow this to happen. As the game has had re-releases on better hardware, the time taken to switch between the protagonists has become significantly shorter, which is quite the feat for a game of this magnitude.

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4) Working stock market

Old Grand Theft Auto titles have had many great features that were removed in GTA 5. But the 2013 title has also introduced some interesting ones, like a working stock market. Players can invest money owned by either of its three protagonists to reap benefits or incur losses based on changes in the in-game stock market.

Additionally, the stock market can be influenced by players' actions in the title's open world. This is a nice little mechanic that should evolve further in future entries in the series or other open-world games.

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5) News reports on radio stations

Grand Theft Auto titles have always had radio stations. But its 2008 installment, Grand Theft Auto 4, evolved this feature by having reports describing events of story missions play on the in-game radio. Players can complete a story mode mission and then tune into the radio to listen to the incidents being talked about on the news. This feature exists in GTA 4 as well as in GTA 5.

The attention to detail in this regard adds more life to their open worlds, and it should be evolved further in GTA 6 story mode. While there are radio stations in some other open-world games, the level of realism in the Grand Theft Auto series is unmatched.