GTA Online's New DLC Confirms Michael Is Still Alive After GTA 5 Story

Michael De Santa, one of the three protagonists in Grand Theft Auto V, is still alive after the events of the main story, it's seemingly be confirmed (or re-confirmed) through the new GTA Online DLC.

In The Contract, Franklin is driving through a movie studio lot and says, "Man, sh**, I know one of the producers around here. I hope his ass ain't at work today."

This is believed to be a reference to Michael. Fans may recall that he became a film producer in GTA V, and this line of dialogue seems to confirm that Michael is still alive and still doing that job.

GTA V had three story endings, and in one of them, Michael dies. In another, Trevor dies. So this would seem to suggest that the third ending--where Franklin, Trevor, and Michael all survive--is the canon ending. As Kotaku reminds us, a previous update to GTA Online may have already confirmed this, and Michael's survival, but now we have even more evidence that Michael is still kicking and making movies.

The Contract is described as a "GTA Online Story," which suggests there might be additional installments to come, but this is only speculation for now. Rockstar announced all the way back in 2013 that it would add new story-focused DLC featuring the heroes of GTA V.

For more on The Contract--which involved recovering stolen Dr. Dre music--check out GameSpot's stories below:

• How To Start The Contract In GTA Online
• GTA Online VIP Contracts Explained
• GTA Online: The Contract - New Weapons And Vehicles
• Best Agency Property In GTA Online To Buy For The Contract

GTA V and GTA Online are set to grow even bigger still, when the games come to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in March 2022. Originally released in 2013, GTA V has sold an astonishing 155 million copies, while GTA Online is a near-constant money-maker through its various microtransactions.