Hopefully you've been fully immersed with Grand Theft Auto V and the world of Los Santos up until now, but today you can start to experience the next part of the adventure - GTA Online. Launching today, around 7 AM EDT depending on when Sony and Microsoft push the update out to the game, you'll jump into the multiplayer world of GTAV and beyond...

We were lucky enough to be invited along to New York last week for an early demo of GTA Online. What we played went far beyond what we've come to experience from the multiplayer component offered with most modern games. GTA Online isn't so much an addition to the game; it is an entire game in its own right. The premise itself is elegantly simple: take what everybody loves about Grand Theft Auto and open it up to more than a single player at a time. GTA Online, in that respect, feels very much like an entirely separate Grand Theft Auto title, set in Los Santos, yes, but with an entirely different approach and the constant presence of multiple protagonists.

In many ways, Grand Theft Auto V has prepared you for how GTA Online plays-out. Take a heist, for example; in the game you'd switch between Michael, Trevor and Franklin, performing different roles to complete the heist successfully. In GTA Online, the core objective may be the same, only now you'll be working with a crew of friends and will need to work together to complete the heist in an individual role - coming together as a unified team. Online is packed full of content, just like the game, so you'll have plenty of time to improve the efficiency of your team and prepare for more daring missions.

The most important point to remember about GTA Online is that it is just starting out, and its future sits with you. Rockstar has built, and will continue to extend Online, for the community - so ensure you leave your mark; be it creating additional content and missions, giving Rockstar feedback, or just enjoying the experience and inviting your friends along for the mayhem.

We were blown away by what Rockstar has done with GTA Online, and we are sure you will be too. This is a whole different take of the multiplayer genre, and it's amazing to ponder what the future holds. Jump in, put the pedel to the floor and pump some lead!

We'd like to thank Rockstar for the opportunity to see GTA Online in New York - it was an amazing experience and well worth the trip!