As we inch closer and closer to the launch of Grand Theft Auto V the game gets even more exciting in its scope. In July gamers were formally introduced to actual gameplay and it was revealed how they will juggle three separate protagonists. Now Rockstar Games sheds light on the title’s online component dubbed appropriately enough Grand Theft Auto Online. It “takes the fundamental Grand Theft Auto concepts of freedom, ambient activity and mission-based gameplay and makes them available to multiple players in an incredibly detailed and responsive online world,” says Rockstar. GTAO is described as “a dynamic and persistent online world for 16 players that begins by sharing gameplay features, geography and mechanics with Grand Theft Auto V, but will continue to expand and evolve after its launch with new content created by Rockstar Games and the Grand Theft Auto community.”

In a video preview embedded above, you can see just how awesome this prospect really is. Imagine jumping into the fictional city of Los Santos with your friends, building a virtual community together and teaming up as a crew to execute major heists and other crimes you couldn’t get away with in the real world. Plus, the ability to create, share, and play across the Internet–an idea pushed by Media Molecule in LittleBigPlanet–is always welcome as it promises new online experiences all the time. And if Rockstar holds up their promise of pushing out new content and missions GTAO has the potential to be loads of fun with much replayability.

Grand Theft Auto Online turns on October 1, two weeks after GTAV‘s September 17 launch on Xbox 360 and PS3. Access to it comes free with every copy of GTAV. Now even though GTAO takes advantage of GTAV‘s performance engine, Rockstar is pressing that it is its own entity that will “grow and evolve into its own thing.” The developer is even toying with the idea of introducing older GTA worlds into GTAO; might the future hold an updated version of Liberty City for online players to roam around?

[Via IGN]