GTA 5's Online Heists Update Also Adds New Free Roam Activities, PvP Modes

The big update coming to Grand Theft Auto V next week adds a lot more than just the much-anticipated online Heists mode.

Rockstar today outlined the details of next week's GTA Online update, which we now know will introduce new player-versus-player modes, daily objectives, and new free roam activities to go along with online Heists.

Daily objectives offer players a series of challenges they can complete during jobs or free roam for in-game cash. Three objectives will be offered every day, and the potential rewards are substantial--Rockstar says stacking challenges over the course of more than a day can net you as much as $500,000.

Free roam is being bolstered with new activities involving many of the single-player game's characters. Lester, for instance, will sometimes contact players and request that they distract the police (keeping them away from Lester's criminal colleagues). Other new activities include Lamar asking players to destroy vehicles, or Trevor and Ron asking for help in destroying rival planes in the air.

Rockstar also provided details on three new PvP modes, including one that is very obviously inspired by Terminator 2. Here's how the developer explains them:

Come Out To Play: A team of three Runners just trying to make it home, and a team of Hunters are out for blood. Runners are well-armed but limited to movement by foot, while the opposition wield free-aim shotguns and ride motorbikes or ATVs. Hunters must stay on their bikes and have access to unlimited lives, while the Runners have just one life but all their weapons available to pick off the Hunters at will.

Siege Mentality: Up to four players stand their ground, outnumbered but not outgunned as they fight to survive against up to 6 determined attackers in a location defense mode, GTA style. Attackers have unlimited lives but fight only with sawn-off shotguns. Defenders have full use of all their weapons.

Hasta La Vista: The chase is on as Truckers in big rig cabs hunt down a team of Cyclists. The Cyclists' goal is simple: reach the final checkpoint without getting crushed under the wheels of the pursuing trucks. Without traditional weapons the Truckers must rely solely on their vehicles to crush the Cyclists. Meanwhile, the Cyclists must harness the maneuverability and acceleration of their bikes to evade the trucks, while keeping an eye over their shoulder. If one of the Cyclists reaches the checkpoint, the Cyclists win. If all Cyclists are terminated, the Truckers prevail.

Going along with all of this is a new email system that will allow you to message any GTA Online friend (regardless of whether they're in a game session with you) and new awards that grant things like exclusive clothing and car mods.

All of this will be released on March 10 on consoles, and on launch day--April 14--for the PC version.