(BSS/AFP) - One of the world`s best-selling video games, "Grand Theft Auto V" owes much of its staying power to its online multiplayer version.

As fans await the release of the follow-up "GTA VI" on November 19, attention is also turning to the online platform run by the franchise`s creator, Rockstar Games.

Thirteen years after the game`s release, "GTA Online" continues to attract millions of players through content updates and a thriving roleplay community.

Launched two weeks after "GTA V" in 2013, the online version shares the same core gameplay, allowing players to mount heists and combat missions in a virtual city inspired by Los Angeles.

Unlike the single-player game, however, it lets users create custom characters, join forces with other players and compete against rival teams.

According to the market research firm Circana, "GTA V", including its online component, ranked as the third most-played game on PlayStation and Xbox consoles in the United States last year.

In 2026, the game boasted more than 15 million monthly active users worldwide.

"It is a phenomenally, massively successful thing," Christopher Dring, head of the specialist publication The Game Business, told AFP.

"`GTA 5` is always in the top-selling games every year. `GTA Online` is incredibly important."

He said the online mode accounts for much of the nearly 500 million dollars in annual revenue generated by the Grand Theft Auto franchise.

Purchased separately from GTA or by subscription, the online game also draws revenue from small transactions by players spending real money on virtual currency, vehicles and other in-game items.

For many players, the attraction lies in the game`s evolving social world.

"I have logged more than 1,000 hours, but I always come back when there is a new update to discover it with my friends," said 20-year-old player Lucas Vigne.

A key driver of engagement is the game`s roleplay potential, with players assuming professions such as police officer, doctor or gangster.

"It`s a bit like improvisational theatre," said Gabriel Berranger, a 19-year-old history student and former in-game police officer.

While the company has yet to announce an online follow-up, many analysts expect a "GTA Online 2" to launch in 2027.