Roleplaying might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Grand Theft Auto but GTA RP is surprisingly popular. You get to create a character's personality and backstory and jump into a modded version of GTA Online where you can RP with other players all telling their own stories.
One of the most popular mods is FiveM and servers support anywhere from 32 to hundreds of players. So if you've ever dreamed of becoming a cab driver in a particularly crime-riddled city, or even a cop trying to keep on top of it all, GTA RP might be exactly what you're looking for. If you need some fun examples, Joe Donnelly once tried to start a fight club on a GTA RP server, got a job as a mob tailor, and became a lawyer for a serial killer. As he put it, working a 9-5 job in GTA RP is the best way to enjoy GTA 5.
FiveM hasn't been updated for the GTA 5 Enhanced edition yet but the update is being worked on. Meanwhile, if you're interested in trying out the legacy version for yourself, here's how to get started.
What you need for GTA RP
Before you get started, make sure you have the following to participate in GTA RP. Here's what you need:
- A copy of GTA 5
- A working mic (almost always, see below)
- A Discord account
- FiveM, a GTA 5 mod
GTA RP: What is it?
What is GTA RP?
Playing on a GTA RP server is pretty different to regular GTA Online. You shouldn't expect death to be a regular occurrence—yours or other players—and you won't typically be blowing up cars. Do expect to go to the hospital if you get hurt though, or be arrested if you find yourself on the wrong side of the law. It may take a little adjustment
GTA 5 RP is intended to be a more 'realistic' experience, and it may take a little adjustment to get rid of the habit of reaching for a gun to solve all your problems. You can get a job, rent an apartment, interact with other players, form relationships—whatever you think your character would do in any given situation, considering their backstory. And you get to try out your acting and improvisation skills.
GTA RP servers still have NPCs just like in GTA 5, but you're basically playing the part of one of those citizens.
How to play GTA RP
How to get into GTA RP
1. Own a copy of GTA 5. It sounds obvious, but before you can play GTA RP, the FiveM mod will need to validate your copy of GTA 5.
2. Make sure you have a working microphone. There are some exceptions, but nearly all GTA RP servers rely on voice chat. In some cases, you may even be kicked from an RP server if it doesn't detect that you have your voice settings on when you begin playing. There are a few text-based GTA servers, but in general if you play GTA RP you should expect to do a lot of talking.
3. Have a Discord account. Most servers will require you to link your Discord account to play, and many use it for sharing server news and information, interviewing players, and communicating with each other outside of the game.
4. Download and install FiveM. It's the most popular mod for GTA RP, and allows you to play multiplayer GTA 5 on custom dedicated servers. The mod won't actually alter your copy of GTA 5, so you'll still be able to play GTA Online unmodded without any issues.
5. Find a server. FiveM's server list will let you filter by language and show how many players are on each server, along with a description of what sort of roleplay that server has. Each server will have its own rules and requirements, and sometimes different types of roleplay scenarios.
Many servers require you to complete an application process and even an interview before you can join. They'll also almost always have a Discord or a link to documentation so you can find the rules for applying and playing on a server. Further down this page we've listed some other popular GTA RP servers.
6. Learn the rules. Remember you're not joining a server to play GTA Online: this is a roleplay experience and there are typically lots of different rules for each server. For an example of some pretty common server rules, have a look at TwitchRP's list of GTA RP rules.
7. Create a character for yourself: not just their looks and clothing but their personality, backstory, and goals. What sort of job do you want? What sort of person is your character? Remember that while you're playing you should always remain in-character: no asking other players how the controls work (that would be immersion-breaking) or passing along information you've learned outside of the game (such as the plans for a bank heist you saw on someone else's stream).
You'll want to find a job, which can vary between all sorts of occupations. Cab or Uber driver, bartender, delivery driver, EMT, and yes, there are criminal jobs like drug dealers or bank robbers, and gangs you may be able to join as well. Most servers also have a police force, and they tend to take their roleplaying very seriously, often interviewing prospects in-character and performing in-game training.
GTA RP Servers
Popular GTA RP servers
Eclipse RP: A 200+ player server, allowing for a large shared world. Waitlists to be whitelisted may be long.
GTA World: One of the few text-based RP servers, making it a good alternative for those who don't feel comfortable using a microphone.
Mafia City: A good place for beginners to try RP, though it uses the Rage mod instead of FiveM and there are no AI-controlled NPCs in the world.
New Day RP: A pretty serious roleplayer server—they even have political events like elections for governor.
There's no "best" GTA RP server
There's no universally beloved GTA RP server, or a "right" answer for the GTA RP server everyone should play on. It really depends on what you want out of roleplaying and how seriously you want to take it. Some sever rules may seem to strict, and some servers may not enforce them strongly enough for your liking—it all depends on what you're looking for.
The servers listed above are a good place to start, but the best way to find out if a server is right for you is to connect with its community and spend time watching players from those servers on Twitch to make sure it's a good fit for your roleplaying style.
