PS5 and Xbox Series X|S gamers just got an awesome free GTA 5 upgrade

For gamers who play GTA 5 on PS5, Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, then Xmas has just come early, with Rockstar delivering an awesome free Christmas gift.

That Christmas gift comes in the form of GTA 5 getting a huge in-game update that brings with it, among many other things, ray-tracing, the super-hot new graphical tech that makes games look far prettier and more realistic.

The news of the ray-tracing graphical upgrade comes courtesy of Rockstar itself, who has just released update patch 1.64 for GTA 5 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. In the patch notes, Rockstar confirms that:

"Ray-traced reflections have been added to Fidelity Mode for both PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, adding detail and contrast to the game world. This allows for vehicles, characters, and more details to be shown on reflective and glossy surfaces"

As such, providing PS5 and Xbox gamers download this new patch and run GTA 5 in its Fidelity Mode, then they've just got access to significantly improved in-game graphics, with enhanced detail, contrast, lighting and reflections.

Other new features included in the 1.64 update include new vehicles, clothing, accessories, hairstyles and tattoos, too, as well as a host of other GTA Online improvements.

The T3 take: An essential free upgrade to grab now

As GTA 6 is clearly still a long way from launching, Rockstar's continued commitment to improving GTA 5 is really, really welcome.

GTA 5 was originally launched all the way back in 2013, and while PC gamers have continued to mod the game and improve its graphics and performance since, console gamers have had but a few graphical upgrades provided via re-releases by Rockstar. As such, almost a decade after launch, the game definitely was showing its graphical age.

So the introduction of ray tracing into GTA 5 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S will really help give it a new lick of paint and, at least on a surface level, make the virtual city of Los Santos and its surrounding environs feel more modern. It will also no doubt be a big boon to players who like to take screenshots in-game, as each one is now going to boast much better detail and lighting.

It'll also likely give gamers their best idea yet of what GTA 6 will look like graphically when it comes out, as the game is almost certainly going to make use of ray tracing, as well as other next-gen graphical effects.

Still need a next-gen console? Well, the Xbox Series S is now retailing at a discounted price point for Christmas.