Massive GTA 5 Update Includes Tons Of Improvements For Xbox Series X|S

If you're a big fan of Grand Theft Auto V, then you'll definitely want to know about a massive new update that's gone live for the game today - particularly if you're playing on Xbox Series X and/or Xbox Series S!

This is the San Andreas Mercenaries update, which adds a whole bunch of new features to the online portion of the game specifically, including Story Missions, Freemode content, and much, much more.

When it comes to Xbox Series X and S, you can look forward to an exclusive Career Progress feature with multiple tiers of challenges, the brand-new Vinewood Car Club for GTA+ members, and various upgrades to ray tracing and lighting fidelity which should mean that the game now looks better than ever on current-gen consoles!

These are some massive patch notes, so you've been warned! Here's a look:

Los Santos Angels

• Players can purchase and install the new Operations Terminal inside their Mammoth Avenger to form the ‘Los Santos Angels’ group with Charlie Reed
• Via the Operations Terminal, players can launch six new ‘Project Overthrow’ Story Missions and three new Freemode ‘LSA Operations’
• LSA Operations can be launched in Freemode by calling Charlie Reed
• The new Story Missions are 1-4 players

Avenger Updates:

• In addition to the Operations Terminal, the Mammoth Avenger has received new updates and upgrades for purchase:
  • The Avenger can now be purchased without owning a Facility beforehand
  • The Avenger can now be stored inside an owned Hangar
  • The following upgrades for the Avenger can now be purchased inside an owned Hangar with a Workshop upgrade:
    • Pilot Operated Machine Guns
    • Pilot Operated Missiles
    • Stealth Module Autopilot Defense
    • Missile Lock-On Jammer Autopilot Defense
    • Mammoth Avenger Thruster – A Mammoth Thruster can now be stored inside the Avenger as a support vehicle and requested in Freemode

Smuggler Hangar Update:

• Several updates have been made to the Smuggler Hangar:
  • New land-based Source and Sell Cargo Missions have been added. These can be selected via the Free Trade Shipping Co. website, allowing players to engage with their Smuggling business in an entirely land-based manner
  • A staff member has been added to Hangars that can be sent to source cargo for a small fee
  • Source Cargo Missions can now be launched in Freemode by calling Ron
  • The Smuggling business Setup Mission can now be bypassed for a small fee
  • The Mk II Weapon Workshop is now included with the Hangar’s Workshop upgrade
  • Additional weapon pickups have been added to the Hangar

Career Progress

• A PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S exclusive Career Progress feature has been added. This gives access to a range of challenges across GTA Online and provides exclusive rewards for players to earn. Career Progress can be accessed via the Landing Page and Pause menu
• Each section of Career Progress will have 4 tiers of challenges added, and a reward to be claimed for completing each tier
• Some challenges will factor in progress made previously, while others will be started with a clean slate

Vehicles

• Seven new vehicles have been added:
• Grotti Itali GTO Stinger TT (Sports) – with HSW Upgrade (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S only) and Imani Tech
• Maibatsu MonstroCiti (Off-Road) – with HSW Upgrade (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S only) and Imani Tech
• Declasse Walton L35 (Off-Road)
• Vapid Ratel (Off-Road)
• Vapid Clique Wagon (Muscle)
• F-160 Raiju (Plane)
• Mammoth Streamer216 (Plane)

Returning Vehicles

• Previously limited-time vehicles are now available for general purchase:
  • Weeny Issi Rally (SUV) – with HSW Upgrade (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S only)
  • Toundra Panthere (Sports)
  • Karin Hotring Everon (Sports)
  • Willard Eudora (Muscle)

Weapons

• One new Weapon has been added, which is available for purchase from the Gun Van
• Tactical SMG

Cosmetics

• 160+ pieces of male clothing and accessories have been added to clothing stores
• 220+ pieces of female clothing and accessories have been added to clothing stores
• 2 new male hairstyles have been added
• 1 new female hairstyle has been added

RC Bandito Time Trials Update

• Five new RC Bandito Time Trials have been added to the existing rotation. These Trials also now rotate daily, allowing players to claim the par time reward each day

Acid Lab Product Names

• Players can now unlock and choose from a range of names for their Acid product, each of which will increase its sell value

Experience Improvements

• An alternative settings option has been added that allows players to toggle sprint between a tap and hold when using a controller
• Players can now claim all destroyed vehicles at one time when calling Mors Mutual Insurance
• Taxi Work can now be launched while driving the Willard Eudora and Albany Classique Broadway when they have their respective Taxi Livery applied
• Players can now add custom description tags to their garages when calling the Mechanic
• If a player’s personal vehicle is destroyed during a Contact Mission, it can be claimed back from Mors Mutual Insurance for free
• When requesting vehicles from the Eclipse Blvd Garage, vehicles are now split into their respective floors
• The ‘SecuroServ’ and ‘Motorcycle Club’ Interaction Menu sections have been merged into one ‘Register as a Boss’ section
• Players can now quickly register as a Boss at any owned business computer
• Map blips for properties now only appear on the map at shorter ranges
• Players can now re-request their Avenger, Mobile Operations Center, or Terrorbyte delivered closer to their location if it is already present in Freemode
• The Cannons of the P-996 Lazer and Hydra jets have been adjusted.
• The Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) activation button has been updated for all planes
• The Stats – Content menu has been updated
• Madrazo Dispatch Services Missions can now be launched with 1 player
• The players’ Body Armor is restocked to the same level they had in the lobby upon using a quick restart
• A ‘Buy All’ option has been added when purchasing Body Armor from Ammu-Nation
• When using Body Armor via the weapon wheel, it will now equip the most suitable armor in the player’s inventory based on their current armor value
• The Rank requirement for purchasing different tiers of Body Armor has been removed
• The Rank requirement for unlocking Daily Objectives has been removed
• Players can now join private takeovers at the LS Car Meet via a new option on the entry menu
• Players can now filter for Open Wheel and Hao’s Special Works races in the Online – Races menu
• Mors Mutual Insurance will now text new players and outline how to claim their destroyed personal vehicle
• An additional entry point to the Flight School has been added to owned Hangars
• English Dave and Tom Connors will no longer call the player while they are parachuting or freefalling
• The Orbital Cannon can no longer be instantly reset or refunded to prevent players from being repeatedly targeted
• The payouts for completing Gerald's Last Play and A Superyacht life Contact Missions have been increased by 25%
• The payouts on many Collectibles and Events have been increased

QR Code Sign In

• To make signing in easier on consoles without having to rely on in-console web browsers, players can now choose to sign in via mobile or web browser by scanning a QR code and inputting a one-time code. This is also aimed to reduce the amount of time it takes for a user to create an account and enhance security on consoles.

GTA+ Updates

• The Vinewood Car Club has been added to the Terminal area of Los Santos. This allows GTA+ Members to freely borrow from an exclusive stock of high-end vehicles and purchase them at discount prices
• Vehicles will rotate, including the complimentary GTA+ vehicle that can now also be claimed directly from The Vinewood Car Club location
• All vehicles currently present in The Vinewood Car Club can be driven in Freemode for an unlimited amount of time
• The Vinewood Car Club vehicles can be requested in Freemode via the Interaction Menu

Creator Updates

Several updates have been added to the Creator as part of this update

General

• Players can now set Snow Weather in the Deathmatch, Race, and Survival Creators
• A selection of Arena War props have been added to all Creators
• The Underwater Mine prop has been added to all Creators
• The maximum number of enemy spawn points that can be placed in the Survival Creator has been doubled from 15 to 30

Deathmatch Creator

• An option has been added to set a delay for when pickups respawn in Deathmatches
• Outfit options have been added to Modifier Sets
• The 'Score to Check' Modifier Set can now be incremented in smaller amounts
• An option has been added to toggle the music score on or off
• An option has been added to preview the audio score for your Deathmatch while in the creator
• An option has been added to lock the time of day and weather, preventing other players from changing them while in a lobby
• An option has been added to block players from climbing ladders
• The Fixture Removal tool has been added to the Deathmatch Creators and the King of the Hill Creator
• Health Drain options have been added to Modifier Sets
• Win Bias options have been extended to allow greater control over winners and losers when time runs out or in the event of a draw
• When changing a player’s loadout via a Modifier Set with the starting weapon set to ‘Current’, a comparable weapon to the original loadout will be selected
• When using a Modifier Set with a preset name, the number of that Modifier Set will now appear next to the name
• An option has been added to give players a bonus score when killing another player for the first time
• A new option in Modifier Sets has been added to set a player to change teams on respawn, clearing their score when they do so
• Blip options have been added, allowing the blips of other players to change based on different conditions and Modifier Sets
• Domination Feed messages can now be disabled
• New icons have been added to UI indicators

Game Stability and Performance

• Fixed multiple crashes and issues affecting stability in GTAV

Matchmaking and Networking

• Fixed multiple issues affecting network stability in GTA Online

Content

• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to take Chop on a walk in Story Mode
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to purchase a Shotgun and flashlight mod during Story Mode Mission - The Long Stretch
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to launch VIP Contract - Studio Time
• Fixed an issue that resulted in Luchadora dying during a cutscene in The Last Dose – FriedMind
• Fixed an issue that resulted in Labrat not being rescued during The Last Dose - FriedMind
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to move after approaching the Hippy Boss in The Last Dose – Unusual Suspects
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to launch a Source Supplies Mission by calling Mutt
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to move past the ‘Take out the Lost MC’ objective during The First Dose – Welcome to the Troupe
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the hint cam not triggering during The First Dose – Welcome to the Troupe
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players encountering a black screen when entering The Freakshop after completing The First Dose – Fatal Incursion
• Fixed an issue that resulted in packages being hard to see during The First Dose – Fatal Incursion
• Fixed an issue that resulted in no players spawning as rabbits during The First Dose – Uncontrolled Substance
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the ‘Leave the area’ objective appearing continuously during Acid Product Resupply - Chemical Spill
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the fumigator outfit being lost after dying during Acid Product Resupply – Chemical Spill
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to reattach the supplies during Acid Product Resupply – Stealing Grain
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the ‘Rescue Lil Dee’ objective not completing during The Prison Contract
• Fixed an issue that resulted in The Agency Deal Mission ending prematurely
• Fixed an issue that resulted in The Superdollar Deal Mission ending prematurely
• Fixed an issue that resulted in The Lost Contract Mission ending prematurely
• Fixed an issue that resulted in The ECU Job Mission ending prematurely
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to lose the cops during ULP – Counterintelligence
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to interact with new customers during Taxi Work
• Fixed an issue that resulted in long Online IDs appearing truncated in the Cayo Perico Heist lobby
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the Back It Up 2 Award not being awarded
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the Gerald Contact Mission – No Hay Bronca failing upon completion
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the note containing safe codes for Daily Stash Houses appearing inside tables
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to progress during Cayo Perico Heist – Scope Out
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the Security Panel not having a blip and unable to be interacted with during Business Battle – Factory Raid
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to install the Remote Bomb in LS Customs during Fooligan Job – Working Remotely
• Fixed an issue that resulted in textures flickering during Nightclub Management – Eliminate the Drug Operation
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to lose their Wanted Level after collecting the WM 29 Pistol from the top of Maze Bank
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to collect drone parts in The Diamond Casino Heist – Nano Drones
• Fixed an issue that resulted in Motorcycle Club Prospects not receiving correct rewards after completing a Payphone Hit
• Fixed an issue where players would lose ammo after changing sessions

Properties

• Fixed an issue that resulted in players getting stuck on the ‘Select Vehicle for Delivery’ menu after requesting a vehicle from the Eclipse Blvd Garage
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players getting stuck on a ‘Transaction Pending’ menu when purchasing a decoration from the Casino Store
• Fixed an issue that resulted in a player’s Biker Clubhouse garage door not functioning
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the screen shaking when joining another player’s session from a Biker Clubhouse
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being able to request and deliver vehicles they do not own from the Eclipse Blvd Garage despite not owning it
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the ‘Exit via Helicopter’ option not working when leaving the Agency
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being able to trap others inside the Agency safe
• Fixed an issue that resulted in Associates/Prospects not being given any rewards for helping their CEO/VIP/MC President deliver a vehicle from their Auto Shop

Vehicles

• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to sell a vehicle after changing the license plate
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to move after jumping on the Kosatka just before it submerges
• Fixed an issue that resulted in Crew emblems disappearing from vehicles
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the headlights of vehicles requested from Agent 14 not functioning
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the player being charged when swapping between already-owned Chaff and Flare mods for the Sparrow
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the camera clipping while driving a Western Powersurge in first person
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the camera clipping while riding a bicycle and aiming a weapon
• Fixed an issue that resulted in user-generated Crew emblems being visible to restricted players when applied to non-personal vehicles  
• Fixed an issue that resulted in vehicles disappearing when sorting on in-game websites

Miscellaneous

• Fixed an issue that resulted in players losing GTA$ every time they used the ‘Mask Audio’ option after receiving the Horror Pumpkin Mask
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players losing all weapons and ammo when collecting pumpkins that contained peyote
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players losing ammo after changing sessions
• Fixed an issue that resulted in an invisible wall being present in the Palmer-Taylor Power Station
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the Lucky Wheel menu closing and the player not receiving a winning vehicle if they took too long selecting a Property
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to store the Service Carbine in a Gun Locker
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the player’s torso disappearing for a short duration when swapping accessories
• Fixed an issue that resulted in clothing clipping when worn with a Mini Dress
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players not receiving a Knife when purchasing it from the Gun Van
• Fixed an issue that resulted in Yung Ancestor being unable to be removed from the player’s Phone Contact Favorites
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to see the WM 29 Pistol in the Agency Armory after unlocking it
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the hide ‘Map Blips’ option for Junk Energy Skydiving not functioning
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players respawning outside of bounds during a Shrinking Bounds Deathmatch
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players seeing incorrect score values on the post-match leaderboard after completing a Sumo Adversary mode

PlayStation Specific

• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being presented with an unresponsive welcome message after resuming from Rest Mode on PlayStation 5
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players with restricted user generated content accounts being able to see the initials left by other players on Arcade machines
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the reflections on mirrors diminishing at certain times of day on PlayStation 5
• Fixed an issue that resulted in halos being seen around the weapons of Ammu-Nation at certain times of day on PlayStation 5
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to access the PlayStation Store and purchase GTAV Story Mode following a lost internet connection
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to sign up for GTA+ when selecting a Tiger Shark Card for purchase

Xbox Specific

• Improved the lighting fidelity seen through the windows during the Story Mode Mission Dead Man Walking on Xbox Series X|S

PC Specific

• Fixed multiple issues relating to stability and security

PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X|S Specific

• Numerous improvements to raytracing performance have been implemented across multiple parts of the game on both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to progress through the Gunrunning or Executive introductions after selecting them from the Career Builder
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the Survival and Open Wheel Series missing from the Quick GPS list in the Interaction Menu
• Improved the lighting fidelity seen around flames when firing incendiary ammo
• Fixed multiple issues that resulted in improper text alignment on the landing page when playing on Asian language settings

Editor

• Fixed an issue that resulted in the Jingle Bell Sound Effects not playing in the Replay Editor

Creator

• Fixed an issue that resulted in players losing functionality after exiting the lobby of a created Deathmatch
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being able to gain weapons in Freemode after using them in a Deathmatch
• Fixed an issue that resulted in dynamic props and objects not spawning in Survival
• Fixed an issue that resulted in a team not moving onto the next Modifier Set when checking if they have fallen below a percentage of their lives
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the killstreak modifier not overwriting lower priority modifiers
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players not receiving ammo on a kill despite using an ‘on kill’ Modifier Set to give ammo to the current weapon
• Fixed an issue that resulted in an incorrect error message appearing when attempting to save/publish a Creator game mode that contains a forbidden title, description, or tag
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the maximum players per team of a Deathmatch not updating with the set ratio
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the Musket weapon incorrectly appearing in the Rifle weapon category of the Creator despite being a Shotgun

How are you finding GTA V on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S? Tell us in the comments below.