Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA 5) is one of the most popular and best-selling video games of all time. Released in 2013 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, it was later ported to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows.
GTA 5 features an expansive open world set in the fictional state of San Andreas, which is based on Southern California. Players control three protagonists – Michael, Franklin, and Trevor – as they complete missions and side activities in the massive open world.
With such a huge and detailed world to explore, GTA 5 is ripe for secrets, Easter eggs, and hidden endings. Fans have long speculated that there are secret, undefined endings that can be unlocked in the game.
In this 5000+ word article, we’ll dive deep into the question: is there really a secret ending in GTA 5? We’ll examine the evidence and theories around hidden endings, explain how to unlock alternate endings, and provide a definitive answer on whether there’s truly a secret conclusion that no one has discovered yet.
The Main Story Endings
Before investigating secret endings, let’s recap the main possible story endings in GTA 5.
GTA 5 has three protagonists, and the ending of the main story is determined by the final fate of each one. Here are the three primary endings:
Ending A (Deathwish): All three protagonists survive. Franklin chases after Steve Haines, who gets killed by one of the protagonists. Devin Weston shows up at Franklin’s house, and Trevor kills him. All three characters remain alive.
Ending B (Kill Trevor): Franklin kills Trevor after being told to by Steve Haines. Michael and Franklin survive.
Ending C (Kill Michael): Franklin kills Michael after being told to by Devin Weston. Trevor and Franklin survive.
So in summary, there are three main endings dictated by which protagonist Franklin kills at the end. This gives players some agency in determining the conclusion of the story.
However, could there be even more hidden endings or secrets that players haven’t discovered yet? Let’s investigate some of the theories and evidence.
Theories Around Hidden Endings
Here are some of the most prominent theories from GTA fans about secret endings in the game:
- Keep All Protagonists Alive: Some theorize there is a way to keep all three protagonists alive without killing any of them.
- Kill Yourself: There is speculation that the story progresses differently if Franklin kills himself at the end.
- Michael’s Family: Some believe certain choices regarding Michael’s family may trigger alternative endings.
- Stock Market: Manipulating the in-game stock market and making certain investments might influence the ending.
- 100% Completion: Reaching 100% game completion could unlock a hidden ending.
- Karma Meter: Having high honor/karma could alter the conclusion of the story.
- Secret Mission Strangers: Completing side missions for certain minor characters might trigger unknown endings.
These are just some of the prominent theories that GTA fans have put forward over the years. While most were eventually disproven, they underline the dedication of the player community to uncover hidden endings.
Let’s go through some of the major pieces of evidence related to secret endings below.
Analyzing the Evidence
Here is an examination of some of the most common evidence that players point to when trying to prove the existence of secret endings:
Strangers and Freaks Missions
There are several minor characters in GTA 5 who give side missions known as “Strangers and Freaks” quests. Players have speculated that completing all of these side missions in a certain way might affect the ending.
However, this does not appear to be the case – no links between these missions and alternate endings have been found.
100% Game Completion
Some theorized that getting 100% total completion of the GTA 5 story might reveal a hidden ending. This could involve finishing all main missions, side missions, collectibles, activities, etc.
But again, no alternate ending has been proven to unlock upon 100% completion. All possible endings can occur regardless of completion status.
Stock Market Manipulation
Manipulating the in-game stock market through certain character missions can maximize profits. Players wondered if specific investments might influence the ending.
Yet again, no evidence has emerged of the stock market impacting the conclusion in any way. It only affects characters’ cash.
Karma Meter
Some GTA fans believed there was a hidden morality or karma system that would change the ending depending on your actions as a player. Performing kind deeds versus violent acts might affect the story conclusion.
However, no underlying karma meter has been discovered in the game code. The only endings that exist are the three based on protagonist deaths.
Returning Characters
Certain minor characters return from past GTA games, causing speculation they might play a larger role. Characters like Packie McReary from GTA 4 appear in minor roles but do not impact the ending.
Aliens/UFOs
Due to aliens and UFOs existing in the GTA 5 world, some fans thought they might play a part in secret endings. While there are UFO Easter eggs, they do not affect the actual story conclusion.
Ghosts
Similar to aliens, supernatural elements like ghosts exist in GTA 5 and made players think they could influence the ending. However, the ghosts appear to just be Easter eggs rather than story components.
Other Easter Eggs
There are callbacks and references to past GTA games via Easter eggs, but none have proven to change the ending when discovered. They are fun secrets but don’t affect the overall story.
Unused Audio Files
Examining the game code revealed unused audio files of the protagonists, creating speculation that they were for cut endings. Most likely, they are just left over from early development.
Trevor’s Alternate Death
Unused gameplay footage shows Trevor being killed by Franklin in a different way, suggesting an unused ending possibility. Again, it appears to just be an early development concept.
How to Get Alternate Endings
While there is no evidence of completely hidden or secret endings in GTA 5, there are ways to get alternate versions of the three main endings during the final mission:
1. The Time’s Come: When playing as Franklin, wait around for roughly 5 minutes before continuing the mission after Trevor leaves the car. A different version of Ending A will play out.
2. Something Sensible: After choosing to kill Trevor, shoot Michael in the leg during the chase rather than aiming for a clean kill. This alters Ending B slightly.
3. The Third Way: Instead of taking clear shots, shoot Franklin’s car tires during the car chase to make Ending C play out differently.
So there are small tweaks that can alter the main endings through player choice, even if there are no completely secret conclusions.
Definitive Answer – No Secret Ending
After examining all the evidence extensively, the definitive answer is that there are no secret endings in GTA 5 beyond the three main conclusions and the minor variations above.
The dedicated GTA community has literally spent years digging through every byte of code and texture of the game world seeking hidden endings. After all this time, nothing conclusive has emerged.
Game developers like Rockstar put incredible time and effort into finding and eliminating any content or endings that can be unearthed before launch. It is extremely unlikely they would leave a fully rendered secret ending undiscovered in GTA 5 a decade after its release.
So while the search can be fun for fans and keeps interest alive, the quest for secret endings in GTA 5 appears to ultimately be a dead end. There are cool Easter eggs referencing past GTAs and the developer’s other work, but no hidden ending for players to unlock.
Why No Secret Ending?
This leaves one lingering question – why did Rockstar decide against including any secret endings in GTA 5? Here are some possible reasons:
- They wanted to focus their efforts on the three main endings and make them as impactful as possible.
- Secret endings are very hard to execute properly – they’re usually discovered quickly and can feel underwhelming.
- Alternate endings require a lot more recorded dialogue and assets that won’t be seen by most players.
- GTA 5 was already pushing hardware limits on PS3/Xbox 360, making additional endings challenging to add.
- They preferred using development resources for meaningful side content like Strangers & Freaks missions rather than Easter egg endings.
Overall, Rockstar likely decided that leaning into the three protagonist endings, with some minor variations, was the most effective use of their time and energy. And the tremendous success of GTA 5 shows they executed well on that vision.
Conclusion
While many theories exist and the search can be intriguing for devoted fans, all evidence points to there being no completely secret endings left to find in Grand Theft Auto 5 beyond the known conclusions.
Yet the passion of the GTA community is a testament to the incredible depth and detail poured into the game’s world over so many years of development. There are still many amazing Easter eggs out there even if no hidden ending waits to be unlocked.
GTA 5’s multiple protagonists and branching final missions gave players real agency in determining the fate of their characters. The mystery around a definitive secret ending may never materialize, but the ability to craft your own story persists in this legendary title.
So get out there and cause some mayhem on the streets of Los Santos and Blaine County however you see fit. Just don’t expect any shocking surprise endings hidden in the code – GTA 5’s saga appears to be fully written.