Grand Theft Auto Online Multiplayer First Look

Rockstar Games made good on its promise today, revealing a new trailer for Grand Theft Auto 5‘s online mode – and there’s a lot you can do within this world.

Although no specific activities were discussed at length, the sheer scope of what you can do with your character in the game – and how you’re rewarded by interacting with others – should make for an in-depth experience.

Over the course of the three-minute trailer, Rockstar introduces a number of activities you can take part in. You’ll start by heading into the city, then making friends and enemies with people you interact with online. Some will be in a more competitive mood than others, challenging you to races, shoot-outs or maybe a good old fashioned round of arm wrestling. Yes, Grand Theft Auto 5 comes with online arm wrestling.

To open up activities, you’ll need money, but since this is Grand Theft Auto, that’s moderately easy to come by. You’ll pick up cash by completing jobs around the city, mostly criminal related. This includes bank heists, robberies – like the liquor store featured in the trailer – or competing against others in shoot-outs and cleaning up leftover cash.

As you earn your fortune, you can spend it on goods needed for your character. These include new clothes, a haircut, accessories and tune-ups for your vehicle(s), ranging from specific parts to a classy new paint job. However, you’re able to expand your virtual life further by buying property within the city. For instance, you can rent an apartment in a nearby building, then invite friends to come over and hang out – or plan your next job. In addition, you can also buy your own garage, where you can display vehicles, then take them out for races.

Grand Theft Auto 5 will also give you the option to work with a crew. Sure, it’s fun to run around on your own and challenge others, but operating with a team has its privileges. You can complete heists more efficiently, and when you take part in gun battles, you know that someone has your back. Growing as a team can only help you get better.

Progression plays a huge part in Grand Theft Auto 5 online, as you’ll meet new characters that open up another activity or place where you can mess around. In the trailer, we met a guy that warns you to watch what you say around others, as well as a wheelchair-bound person who’s a little friendlier. Well, he tries to be, anyway.

When it comes to stuff you can do with your friends, Grand Theft Auto 5 has a slew of options. You can take part in leisure activities like golf and deep sea diving; compete in races with planes, cars and jet-skis; or simply mess around and run into rival crews. There’s always something new around the corner, including an interesting activity where you can launch a motorcycle off a cliff, then use your parachute to join others in the air.

If you can’t find your ideal activity or race in the game, you can create it. With a robust content creator, you’ll have no problem building your own racing events, whether they’re in the air, on land or water. You can set up checkpoints and link them together with ease, then load them through Rockstar’s servers to see if others accept your challenge. Likewise, challenges from other players are available.

With the three-plus minutes of gameplay footage, we’ve only seen a snippet of what Rockstar will offer with its robust online universe. Better still, the publisher will expand it following the game’s release, adding new challenges and parts of the city where you and your friends can play around. We might be able to form an arm wrestling league. Move over, Sly Stallone.

There’s a lot of promise with Grand Theft Auto Online’s component. Combine that with the already massive single-player campaign – and its three separate characters – and you have a game that’ll keep you busy for months.

Grand Theft Auto 5 releases September 17th for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Online will launch soon thereafter, on October 1, and is a free download included with the main game.

Now read about the little things that’ll have a huge impact in multiplayer.