The launch of Grand Theft Auto 5 has gone off without a hitch. Well, mostly...
First, you have the issue with folks who decided to, against Rockstar's warning, install the play disc for their Xbox 360 versions, rather than the aptly named install disc. Doing so has resulted in a number of graphic issues, like objects randomly popping in, taking too long to load. For these people...you deserve no sympathy.
But because Rockstar is a quality company, there is something of a workaround. If you want to install the game to avoid a noisy drive, one option is to install the play disc to a 16GB USB stick. However, if you've already installed the play disc onto the console, better go back and start over.
Installing it on a stick seems to make the game's visuals flow a bit better, but judging from a side by side (seen below), it's fairly minute. Still make sure you install the install disc. Go figure...
Next up, players who've download the digital editions of GTA V for PlayStation 3 have also been experiencing some problems. Some players have been receiving a corrupt download with a message saying, "error code 80029564." Thankfully, this issue has since been corrected, with all required for the player was to delete any and all GTA V content, and re-download.
Unfortunately, the other issue hasn't been so easily resolved. According to a thread on Reddit, some players are reporting similar issues seen when Xbox 360 players install the play disc. But it's a mixed bag. Some have the problems, others don't. Rockstar hasn't commented on the issue yet, but if enough people report the problem, it's considerably more likely that the company will work out a solution sooner.
UPDATE -
Sony said that the small number people affected by download issues with Grand Theft Auto 5 on the European end should "ensure that the latest firmware is installed," and that their "pre-order was successful," in the case of pre-order that is.
The firm also said users should delete any corrupted files and re-download the game. Sony said it would keep everyone up to date on the issues as it's looked into.
Meanwhile, users are also having issues connecting with Rockstar's Social Club and logging into iFruit.
The developer said it is aware of issues pertaining to "Social Club or related networking hardware/services," and is working to resolve the issues as quickly as possible.
People experiencing log-in issues with the iFruit App or seeing continued "spinners" while loading among other issues - should also hang tight while the issues are resolved.
In light of this, for you PlayStation 3 owners who haven't yet bought Grand Theft Auto V, you might want to consider a retail version over digital, particularly since you can't get a refund for a digital copy. The issue isn't game breaking, so it's up to you. Just don't walk home late at night by yourself after you make your purchase.
Grand Theft Auto V is out now for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Plans for next-gen and PC versions may have been discovered, but Rockstar has yet to confirm this.