GTA 5 Guide: Story, Characters, Missions, Cheats and Map

This GTA 5 guide covers Grand Theft Auto V, the Rockstar North game that follows three criminals through heists across Los Santos and Blaine County. Use it as a hub for the story, the characters, mission walkthroughs, cheats and the map.

Key facts

  • Developer: Rockstar North, the fifteenth instalment in the series.
  • Released on 17 September 2013 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, then on PS4 and Xbox One in 2014, PC in 2015, and PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in March 2022.
  • Setting: Los Santos and Blaine County, San Andreas, in 2013.
  • Playable protagonists: Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton and Trevor Philips.
  • Sales: over 220 million copies by March 2026, the second best-selling game of all time.

Story and setting

Nine years after a failed robbery in Ludendorff, North Yankton, the former bank robber Michael has moved to Los Santos under a new identity. He crosses paths with the gangster Franklin and with Trevor, the only other survivor of that job. The three team up to rob the Union Depository, while corrupt federal agents and rival gangs push them around. The Prologue shows the North Yankton heist, and North Yankton returns later in the story. The countryside of Blaine County and Mount Chiliad sit just north of the city.

Main characters

The story revolves around Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton and Trevor Philips. Heist planner Lester Crest and Franklin’s friend Lamar Davis support them. The main antagonists are the businessman Devin Weston and the FIB agent Steve Haines. Browse every figure in the characters section of the lexicon.

Missions and walkthroughs

This GTA 5 guide points to walkthroughs that follow the story in order, mission by mission. Browse the full GTA 5 missions category or jump to a chapter below.

Beyond the story, try the strangers and freaks such as the Epsilon Program, Grass Roots and Hao street races. For collectibles, see the letter scraps, monkey mosaics, Omega spaceship parts and hidden packages. The 100% completion checklist ties everything together.

Vehicles, gangs and places

The lexicon sorts vehicles, gangs, places and weapons into A to Z sections. Start with the vehicles, such as the Infernus, the Banshee and the Rhino Tank. The gangs and factions include The Families, the Ballas and Merryweather Security. Landmarks like Fort Zancudo live under places, and every gun from the Minigun to the Pistol sits in the weapons section.

Cheats and tools

Use the GTA 5 cheats page for codes, and the interactive GTA 5 map to find locations. Random events and rampages are explained in Random Events and Rampages.

Other GTA editions

Play the series in order: the previous game is covered in the GTA Chinatown Wars guide, and the multiplayer follow-up has its own GTA Online guide. Compare every entry in the GTA lexicon.

FAQ

Who are the playable characters?

You switch between Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton and Trevor Philips during the story.

Where does the game take place?

In 2013 in the city of Los Santos and rural Blaine County, in the southern part of San Andreas.

Which platforms is it available on?

It came out on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2013, then on newer consoles and PC, with the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S editions arriving in March 2022.

Is GTA Online included?

GTA Online is a standalone multiplayer game that comes free with the retail copy of GTA 5 on PS4, Xbox One, PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.