The GTA franchise is one of my favourites. All the way back to the original Grand Theft Auto in the mid-90s—yes that long ago. I love how I can just pick up the game and just explore everything it has to offer. I owe this fascination towards Rockstar’s knack for include insane amounts of hidden content in their games.

Some of this content can be insanely well hidden, requiring you to pull off ridiculous requirements just to catch a glimpse of something unique. But we are not concerned with that out of reach stuff. This piece is concerned with the action that is hidden in plain sight. The stuff you walk by all the time and don’t even notice.

The beauty of these easter eggs, hidden references, and inside jokes often lays within the subtlety of their execution, of the deftness of their expression. You would be surprised how a physical disability of an actor can be spun as a clever bit of immersion. Or a technological limitation can be seen as an opportunity for world creation. And don’t get me started on the dick jokes, those will be coming at you guys thick and hard…

Anyways, let’s check out what Rockstar has hidden right in front of our eyes. Perhaps you will be as surprised as I was; there is just so much game to be had.

25 Let's Count The Curses! 

via: pinterest.com / YouTube.com(TheMediocreScot)

We all know that Rockstar isn’t afraid of using salty language. So it won’t be surprising to hear that GTA V drops more F-Bombs than movies that are known for their excessive swearing. However, the margin may be surprising.

Swear fan favourites, Goodfellas and Casino come in at 300 and 422, respectively. However, it was Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street that has the most, with 506 uses of the F-word, at an average of 2.81 times a minute!

How does this compare with GTA V? YouTuber TheMediocreScot created a supercut of all the F-drops in the game. And the grand total is… 1018! I find this to be amazing, as you would think the dialog would suffer under that kind of repetition. But GTA V is one of the more engaging games in the franchise.

24 Another Counting Game: How Many Hours Do They Sleep!?

via: rockstar.com

Did you ever notice that GTA V’s three protagonists have different sleeping habits? It’s kind of understated, but right in the open if you pay attention. You will notice that Michael sleeps for only 6 hours when you save the game, Franklin gets 8 hours, and Trevor sleeps for 12.

This is an acknowledgment by Rockstar of their fanbase. You see, they believe that there are essentially three types of players. Michael conveys the veteran or a player who has beaten the game and just wants to take it easy. Franklin is the traditional or excited new player who wants to learn and is eager to be successful.

And finally, there is Trevor. He embodies the more erratic and destructive player. One who takes advantage of the game's freedom, and explores their more carnal pleasures. No wonder Trevor sleeps 12 hours a day. Every day is a savage AF!

23 That Funeral Home Is Awfully Close To That Butcher

via: gta.wikia.com / wikigta.org

It was only a matter of time before this list brought us to the ultimate social taboo. If you head over to the Funeraria Romero in GTA: Vice City, you will find a goofy looking “funeral mart.” If you move around back you will find a set of graves, one which is open with a skeleton in it… weird.

However, if you walk down the shopping plaza, you will find a sister business, Carnicero Romero: Family Butchers. Nothing out of order here… wait, what’s that box in the window say… human organs… uh oh...

Turns out our friends at the Romero family of businesses are running a very disturbing partnership. The funeral business gathers the corpses, while the butcher makes them into “fine cuts” for the public… It always seems to lead to cannibalism eventually.

22 That Cheeky D-Bag!

via: wasd.pt

Out in the Vinewood Hills, you can spot a small collection of garden gnomes. It seems like a picturesque scene, good ol’ wholesome Americana. However this is GTA we are talking about after all, and Rockstar usually has something… cheeky in store.

Examining these gnomes you will see them posing. One is holding a fish rod… Ok. Another has a lantern, nothing weird there. And the third… wait, is he..?

What does this mean? Is he mooning us or his other gnome friends? Whatever it is, it’s a cheeky little easter egg to keep the player wondering what the hell is going on in the heads of some of Rockstar’s developers.

21 Will It Ever Be Enough?

via: imgur.com

As you galavant across the greater Los Santos/San Andreas area, you may have noticed that there is A LOT of city to explore. Though the map’s grandeur is quite obvious, I was unaware just how grand Rockstar’s creation was.

GTA V boasts the largest map of the GTA series to date. In fact, it is so large that it is bigger than many real-world locations! Users on Reddit and Neogaf have created comparison infographics placing San Andreas next to cites, such as London, Toronto, San Francisco, and Manhattan.

While San Andreas is technically larger than these cities, the comparisons are done unscientifically, and usually, exclude the whole metropolitan area of the real world cities. Regardless, to be even comparable to real-world cities is an amazing achievement.

Gaming has certainly come a long way since the 8-bit days of yore.

20 Rockstar Is Full Of Wiseguys

via: mobygames.com / indiewire.com

The developers at Rockstar are major movie buffs, as such, Film references have become a major mainstay in the GTA series. Some of these references can be quite subtle, but many of them are in plain sight.

It’s quite obvious that GTA III takes a lot of influence from mafia movies. As a result, the game is littered with numerous mob movie references. Plastered on walls all over Liberty, you will find “Badfellas” posters, which is a clear homage to the classic Goodfellas.

GTA: Vice City has that 1980s, Floridian drug crime feel. So it is appropriate to see Scarface references everywhere. The mansion you obtain later in the game is near carbon copy of Tony Montana’s home. While Apartment 3c is a replica of the apartment that Tony was tortured in.

I appreciate Rockstar’s effort to reward players for exploring their games.

19 Tw@ Are You Looking At?

via: giantbomb.com / gta3.wikia.com

This reference may have slipped past the gaze of gamers who were born in the 90s. Rockstar enjoys shouting out previous titles in their games. This is a tradition that began with GTA III.

Head over to the Tw@ Internet Café (nice one!) in Liberty City. Once inside, check out some of the monitors on the main floor. You will notice a couple of top-down perspectives, street-level games on a few of the screens. These are screenshots from 1997’s GTA, and 1999’s GTA II.

I find it hilarious that many gamers would miss this simply because they are too young. Though this reminds me of the time when I was taken-a-back by some young buck who thought Mario 64 was the first Mario game… good lord, I'm old…

18 Is That The Cast Of San Andreas!?

via: gta.wikia.com

Fans of GTA: San Andreas will recall the Grove Street Trio, which comprised of the protagonist CJ, Big Smoke, and Sweet. The three guys can be seen riding on their trusty bikes down Grove Street during the mission Hood Safari in GTA V.

As you make your way to Grove Street for the mission, you need to keep your eyes peeled or you’ll miss them. They can be seen riding away from your destination marker.

This is one of my favourite references as you can very easily miss it if you are not paying attention. It makes the world that Rockstar has created a little more tangible, as the Trio has business completely unrelated to the story.

17 He Lives!

via: gta.wikia.com

Niko Bellic was GTA IV’s matter-a-fact protagonist from a mysterious Eastern European nation. He is referenced in a subtle manner by Lester as a potential heist member, who was “making moves in Liberty City.” However, there is a more clever reference to Niko in GTA V.

While playing as Michael, you will sometimes find your son Jimmy on his laptop at the dining room table. If you look at the screen you will see that he is looking at Niko’s LifeInvader page. You can see his profession as a driver a Bellic Cab Service. His friend’s list, which includes his cousin Roman and that psychopathic bro, Brucie Kibbutz.

The most interesting thing concerns his status update. You can see that he is wishing his cousin a happy birthday. This proves that GTA IV’s revenge ending was canon, as Niko is still alive and kicking.

16 Grand Theft Inception... BWAAAAAAA!

via: reddit.com

This one is very weird, and just might prove time travel is real! Well… not really, but it is very odd. This one involves a direct reference to GTA V’s trailer, within GTA IV. How… Seriously, what the hell?!

If you go to the amusement park in GTA IV and look for a ride that has the Vinewood sign and private jet background. This mural is a direct reference to the GTA V trailer. And I am not talking about it being similar, it looks like a screenshot of the trailer itself. But how can this be? The games are separated by 5 years.

Well, this secret demonstrates the nature of the video game industry. The popularity and size of the GTA franchise demands that a sequel be in development before its predecessor is even released. So, unfortunately, there is no time travel here, it's just the nature of the business.

15 Master Chief Is Has Fallen On Tough Times

via: YouTube.com(Ray Dhimitri)

Rockstar are not only film buffs, but they also are gamers at heart. Accordingly, you can find references to major gaming franchises in GTA games. So obviously Master Chief, the protagonist of one of the most beloved modern gaming franchises would make an appearance.

Head over to the Oriental Theatre in Downtown Vinewood. Here you will see a bunch of costumed street performers — one of these guys is Master Chief. He is rocking a cartoonish version of Master Chief’s armour, but its likeness to the iconic Mjolnir Armour is unmistakable.

While it’s not particularly subtle, it’s certainly missable as you are often fly by these locations at break-neck speeds.

14 Heh... You Said 69...

via: gta.wikia.com / gta-myths.wikia.com / gtanf.com

Many people like to critique the GTA franchise as a childish romp through thinly veiled allegories of modern cities, society, and life itself. I try to explain that the idea behind these games are to provide compelling storytelling, social commentary, and other adult activities in a childlike manner. However, Rockstar sometimes dashes my idealized interpretation with actual toilet humour.

Rockstar seems to have an obsession with the number 69. There are graffiti tags of 69 in the Vinewood Hills, a 169-yard golf course in Los Santos, or the 69 missions in GTA V itself. There is also the legacy of Area 69 from GTA: San Andreas as well.

One has got to appreciate the commitment to giggling school-yard humour. I guess I should have known, especially considering the penis hotel in Vice City.

13 A Bit Of The Frontier In Los Santos

via: ign.com

Rockstar is a very successful game developer. Besides the GTA series, they are known for making one of 2010’s most critically acclaimed games: Red Dead Redemption. It is very odd that Rockstar hasn’t referenced the game much in GTA, as they often pay homage to previous titles all the time. However, a subtle tidbit can be found in plain sight.

Later on in the game, when Franklin shacks up in Vinewood Hills, you can peruse your newly acquired literature. As you browse, you will come across a book titled Red Dead, by a J. Marston. This author could be referring to one of two people. Either RDD’s protagonist John Marston, or his son Jack. The latter seems to be the most likely as Jack was real bookish in the game and even expressed intentions to one day be an author.

Now I’m curious, the franchises obviously exist in the same universe, but was John Marston roaming around a wild west version of Los Santos?

12 Poor Business Practice

via: YouTube.com(AGD FURIOUS)

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you had a negative amount of money? Well in GTA: San Andreas you can find out. If you bet all your cash at The Four Dragons Casino, you will end up in the red. This negative balance means you now owe someone money.

You will eventually receive a call from a gangster who demands his money. He will eventually send associates to come and kill you intermittently throughout the game. This will continue until you bring your balance back into the green.

This is a funny little secret. Though this seems to be a poor business practice. How is the mafia supposed to get paid if all their debtors are pushing up daisies?

11 Cocaine And Zombies

via: eggbase.com / moddb.com

Another homage to a gaming franchise can be found on a billboard in GTA V. There is a reality show called Rehab Island, which cannot be viewed by the player, but is widely advertised in-game.

The logo for the show can be seen on Billboards and is almost a carbon copy of the logo for Deep Silver’s Dead Island. Both logos feature a similar font and the distinct palm tree as the letter “I.”

This is another cool indicator that developers at Rockstar are indeed gamers. It is also funny to think about strung-out reality show contestants stalking around an island like zombies looking for their next fix. The denizens of Los Santos sure have really bizarre entertainment tastes.

10 Sure, Sure... It's The Pollution's Fault

via: ironyca.wordpress.com

GTA III was a revolutionary game for its time. Being one of the first games of the sandbox genre, you could do many different things. But did you ever wonder why you couldn’t swim? Seeing that the game came out in 2001, one could safely assume that the game’s engine was too limited to allow for swimming. However, Rockstar made a pretty amusing excuse.

This easter egg can be found in an in-game Liberty Tree article. It states that there had been an oil spill in the ocean off the coast of Liberty City. There was supposed to be no long-term risk to residents. However, drinking and—more importantly—swimming in the water could prove to be highly toxic or deadly.

So there we have it, a clever way to handwave away a limitation of technology.

9 A Ring For Every Occasion

via: reddit.com

It’s not only movie or game references that GTA is known for, Rockstar also likes to pay homage to their own inside jokes.

Most GTA vets will recognize the Rusty Brown’s Ring Donuts franchise from Vice City. Who could forget the ads that say to lick “lovingly around the outside." Well, this franchise has made its way to Los Santos as well. Their billboards can be seen around the city in GTA V, complete with a new inappropriate slogan for all to enjoy. The “pick your ring” campaign surely is the icing on the cake…

8 Where Did All The Bike's Go?

via: play.google.com

GTA III and GTA: Liberty City Stories take place in the same city but at different times. The former in 2001, while the latter is in 1998. An observant player may ask, why are there motorcycles in Liberty City Stories and none in GTA III? The answer is another clever handwave to explain technological limitations.

In Liberty City Stories, there is a protest group known as American Road Safety for Everybody, or A.R.S.E (HA!). This group was sponsored by an in-game car company, Maibatsu, to eliminate motorcycles as a form of competition. So it seems like the group succeeded, as there are no bikes in GTA III.

So it wasn’t a limited game engine that took the bikes away, it was special interest groups. Right...  *wink-wink*

7 Unidentified Sunken Object

via: gta-myths.wikia.com

Returning to the depths of the ocean, another derelict structure can be found off the coast of GTA V’s Los Santos.

Just North of Paleto Bay, you can find a sunken UFO wreckage underwater. Now, this is not too big of a secret, as many fansites speak of this easter egg. However, on rare occasions, you can see that portions of the wreckage are illuminated. It seems that something is going on in there.

What that something is, it's hard to say. Is it automated systems, or is this a long-term observation mission? Who knows. Regardless, I like that there is a lack of explanation. It’s nice to see speculate, instead of having all the answers.

6 British Spies Eat Your Heart Out

via: gta.wikia.com / pinterest.com

This involves a shiny new car that becomes available upon the completion of Devin Weston’s car job missions.  After wrapping up with Devin you will have access to LegendaryMotorsport.com on the game’s internet. Here you will find the slick JB 700 up for sale, for a cool $475,000. The inverted 007 is plain enough to see, but those with a keen eye will recognize that it looks very similar to James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger.

In addition, the description of the car drags Mr. Bond a little bit. It says the car is perfect for “drunken misogynistic British spies.”