Why does GTA 5 have three protagonists?

When Rockstar wrote the story for GTA 5, they wanted to include three protagonists.

According to art director Aaron Garbut, this was one of the earliest objectives for GTA 5. He worked directly under Rockstar North during its development. In a 2014 interview with Edge magazine, he revealed some interesting tidbits. Apparently, they always intended for three playable characters in GTA 5.

Rockstar has always been ambitious with every project. There was a time when they set the bar high for each new game. Over a thousand people worked on GTA 5. It was going to be the biggest game in the series, and one of the ways they accomplished this was through multiple protagonists.

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GTA 5: Why are there three protagonists in the game?

GTA 5 is surprisingly not the first game to consider multiple protagonists. Producer Leslie Benzes once revealed this in an interview with French website JeuxActu. They intended it for GTA San Andreas, but didn't have the technology. Fortunately, Aaron Garbut brought it up again for GTA 5.

What did Rockstar want to accomplish?

Rockstar wanted to take a risk with three protagonists. It was a difficult undertaking for the development team. Nonetheless, both the gameplay and the story would benefit from this new feature. Due to different perspectives, GTA 5 executes heists in a more dramatic fashion.

Former vice president Dan Houser wanted to outdo previous games. GTA 4 had a well-received mission known as Three Leaf Clover, which proved to be very popular with the players. Regardless, Houser felt they could do better with advanced technology. Subsequently, GTA 5 made the heists a core aspect of the game.

Three protagonists meant players could switch into different parts of the action. They also told an interesting story, centered around a specific theme. GTA 5 mainly focuses on the pursuit of the "almighty dollar." All three protagonists allow for a dynamic approach to storytelling.

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Early concerns with having three protagonists

Houser once stated that GTA 5 is the most strongly plotted game in the series. This was mentioned in an old 2012 article with Computer and Video Games. Apparently, the development team had concerns over it backfiring. This was an entirely new shift in the narrative structure. GTA has never done it before.

The plot for GTA 5 involves multiple characters with different outlooks on life. Their paths eventually cross as the game progresses. Houser considered it an exciting prospect, especially once they finally meet each other.

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It was a major success

Thanks to the incredible performances of the voice actors, all three protagonists stole the show. Each of them are memorable in their own ways and their strong chemistry allows them to carry their scenes.

Having three protagonists was a major deviation from standard GTA titles. However, the voice acting cast gave it their all. Any less would've been a disappointment.

GTA 5 truly exceeded its high expectations. Over eight years later, it sold over 150 million copies. Time will tell if GTA 6 revisits the concept of multiple protagonists.

Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.