GTA 5 still maintains an impressive number of players on Steam

Maintaining an impressive number of current players on Steam is far more challenging than one might realize, yet GTA 5 pulls it off.

GTA 5 has been in the top ten most-played Steam games for several years now. It has an average player count of nearly 80,000 right now, which is impressive for what's ultimately a 2013 game.

However, it's vital to see why GTA 5 continues to succeed whereas other games falter.

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GTA 5 is still one of the top games on Steam

GTA 5 is consistently in the top ten on Steamchart's highest number of current players (Image via Steamcharts)

For years, fans have been wondering why Rockstar Games continues to milk GTA 5. However, it's still one of the most played games in the world. GTA fans can even see the sheer amount of players reeled in by the game on Steam via Steamcharts (with a screenshot above as an example).

GTA 5 is consistently in the top ten. It's a rare feat for the vast majority of games in the world. More often than not, major titles never get to sniff the top ten. The few that do usually stick around for a brief period.

For example, Fall Guys and Among Us are nowhere near the top ten right now. It's vital to see where GTA 5 succeeds and why other games have become more niche.

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GTA 5 is a legitimately good game

GTA 5's single-player story is still fun (Image via Rockstar Games)

Naturally, bad games don't maintain impressive playerbases for years. GTA 5 is still arguably the best GTA game of all time. Having garnered its highest rating on Metacritic, fans still love to play the game.

They might not necessarily enjoy Rockstar's overreliance on it, but there is no denying that GTA 5 is a good title.

However, this notion also compliments its modding scene. Part of the reason why GTA 5 is a fun and popular game is that there are so many creative mods out there. It's a two-way street, and it's fun to cross it any way the player pleases.

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GTA Online is still popular

GTA Online still has an impressive playerbase (Image via Rockstar Games)

GTA 5 is mandatory to play GTA Online. The standalone version isn't out yet, so this caveat still applies for the present. GTA Online is still one of the most popular multiplayer experiences out there (even if it isn't everybody's cup of tea).

Hence, it shouldn't be surprising that some GTA Online fans would contribute toward GTA 5's impressive numbers on Steam. Both titles are jam-packed with content that players can't help but revisit.

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The rise of GTA RP

An underrated yet vital ingredient to GTA 5's success is the rise of GTA RP's popularity. Given that the game requires one to own GTA 5, some players are bound to play it when not roleplaying. From there, they can either play GTA 5 or GTA Online, but it still contributes to the impressive Steam numbers.

On Twitch, GTA RP is under the GTA 5 category. The top streamers aren't playing GTA 5's base game, but it can attract other players to check it out.

These aren't the only reasons behind GTA 5's popularity on Steam. However, they offer a brief glimpse into the game's relentless success.