Grand Theft Auto 6 is a little more than two months away from becoming what is likely to be the biggest game this decade. But developer Rockstar Games has something to keep fans playing Grand Theft Auto 5 long after GTA 6 is available.
Last week, Rockstar announced it had partnered with the popular roleplaying community Nopixel to bring Nopixel V to GTA Online, giving players a new way to experience Los Santos through community-created roleplaying content. The partnership marks a major expansion of Rockstar’s support for the creator community ahead of GTA 6.
What is GTA Nopixel V?
Nopixel V is a GTA V roleplaying community built in partnership with Rockstar Games. Nopixel V will have a swathe of improvements made available through the GTA V Enhanced Edition, available for PS5, Xbox Series consoles and PC. Previously, Nopixel was limited in what it could modify in GTA V to allow players to do GTA roleplay. With this collaboration, Rockstar will enable the group to make further improvements to its server.
How can I join Nopixel V?
The Nopixel V beta starts on Tuesday, but so far, it’s only for invited players with already established characters. When the servers go live, it will likely follow the same process of requiring players to make an account on Nopixel’s website, have a copy of the game on PC and fill out an application to join. Since you’re looking to participate in roleplay, it’s kind of like applying for a job, as you’ll have to give details about your character and what you plan on doing while roleplaying. The application process has an approval time that can be weeks, but once approved, the character can access the Nopixel server.
What is GTA roleplay?
GTA roleplay is different than playing a GTA game. You create a unique character and perform as that character in an online mode with other players who are performing as their characters in the city of Los Santos. Most of the roleplay involves criminal activities, such as heists, while other players try to take them down as police. The more sophisticated roleplay servers allow individuals to do various jobs unrelated to crime and interact with other players on the same server. Many Twitch streamers play for hours a day for their audience, but some gamers simply play for their own enjoyment.
What is the history of GTA roleplay?
Whenever there has been a big open world for many players to interact with, there have always been some who immerse themselves in it, treating it as a real world rather than a game. MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft and EverQuest made roleplay servers available in which players would perform as their characters, for example, communicating in the same fashion as other characters of the same race, using various emotes to convey physical actions and having a unique backstory.
While MMORPGs and other sandbox games like Second Life offered players a way to roleplay, things changed with the release of DayZ. First released in 2013 as a mod for the 2009 tactical shooter game Arma 2, DayZ dropped players into a zombie outbreak in a fictional post-Soviet region called Chernarus. The goal was to survive by scrounging for equipment and supplies while avoiding zombies. It was the interaction with other players, however, that made the game compelling and led to some viral moments. Players took it upon themselves to roleplay in the game and stream themselves playing on Twitch.
In 2016, a mod was released for GTA Online on PC called FiveM. It allowed players to create their own custom servers and could be used for roleplay. This mod was key to the development of a roleplay experience where players could live a life online, such as being a cop, a taxi driver or a judge. As Twitch streaming grew in popularity, GTA roleplay became one of the more popular categories to watch on the platform.
What is Nopixel?
One such group of players who roleplayed in Arma 3 was called Nopixel. The leader of the group was Mitchell “Koil” Clout, who not only streamed games but also developed mods for Arma 3 to enable an in-game environment that was better suited for roleplaying.
The group moved to GTA Online and created its own roleplay server. With its own server, the group was able to establish an entire roleplaying ecosystem through modifications. Each version of Nopixel includes UI and performance improvements and adds more roles for players.
What’s different in Nopixel V?
According to the official site, Nopixel V will be a complete overhaul of the roleplaying experience. This includes improved visuals and character animations, a revamped character creation system and a new in-game casino. There will also be reworked areas, new locations and more housing for players’ characters. The UI is also getting improvements to provide a cleaner, minimal look intended for modern audiences rather than the dated overlay meant for GTA V when it came out in 2013.
What does this partnership mean for GTA 6?
It’s unclear if the deal between Rockstar and Nopixel will extend to GTA 6. Rockstar has yet to confirm if there will be an online multiplayer component for the game, but it’s very likely given that GTA Online has earned the company more than $5 billion since launch and, at its peak, made $1 million a day. When GTA Online for GTA 6 is finally revealed, the option for roleplay could be part of the unveiling.
