One of the most awesome things about the Grand Theft Auto games is just how massive the maps really are. It may be referred to as a sandbox game, but make no mistake, it's one huge sandbox. And when you're running around in an area that big, there's bound to be a few secrets hidden around.
GTA has become famous for including many secrets and Easter eggs, and GTA V is no different. In fact, this entry in the series might just be the game that is packed with the most hidden locations, random encounters, and pop culture references. There's almost too many to list, and some are well-known to gamers. Others are found only by the most diligent and determined players - those who are willing to truly dig deep into Los Santos to find all of its hidden treasures.
Whether you're a casual gamer or a hardcore fanatic of the GTA franchise, you're almost guaranteed to find some secrets in this list that you're unaware of. We'll be taking you on a journey through the highs and lows of Los Santos, from its cloudy skies to its deepest waters. Because everywhere you look, there's a secret waiting to be found.
Some of these secrets have only been seen by a few select few. Some of the secrets remained unsolved to some extent. Even though GTA V is a slightly old game these days, players are continuing to find new secrets each and every day.
Here are 20 Hidden Things Only Experts Found In Grand Theft Auto V.
An Alien Under The Bridge
Aliens have always been a pretty big part of the GTA franchise, and in almost every entry there has been some mention of aliens or UFOs. Most of the time, you really have to hunt for these secrets and Easter eggs, making them incredibly rewarding for gamers to seek out.
This time, players didn't exactly have to work very hard to find an alien. In the very first scene of the game, during the prologue, players simply need to drive under the bridge to find an alien clearly preserved under the ice.
It seems that the developers of this game wanted to hide one of the best secrets in a place where no one would look - right at the beginning.
How To Find The UFOs
Just like the aliens, UFOs have long been a trademark of the GTA franchise, popping up in random spots and shocking gamers through the decades. This continues with GTA V, and there are actually four separate UFOs to seek out. But there's a catch.
Three of these UFOs only appear after the player has achieved 100% completion of the game.
The solitary UFO that is on the map right from the beginning isn't even in the air. Instead, it's actually crashed underwater on the north side of the map. The other three appear at Sandy Shores, near Fort Zancudo, and finally at Mount Chiliad.
There's A Ghost On Mount Gordo
Fans of the GTA franchise know that things can get a little weird in these games. Sometimes the missions can get seriously wacky, and leave us wondering about what the developers were thinking.
During the days of San Andreas, we spent hours dealing with the supernatural in places like Area 51, among others. While the games have toned down the weirdness factor a little in recent years, GTA V is still full of oddities - but only if you know where to look.
Veterans of the fifth installment will know all about the ghost of Mount Gordo, a legendary occurrence which happens around 11pm. The ghost has an entire backstory, and her name was Jolene Cranely-Evans.
The Infinite 8 Mystery
Usually, when we find a secret in the GTA games, there's not much actual gameplay involved. We simply see a cool pop culture reference, chuckle to ourselves, and move on. There is in fact one secret which sends players on a wild scavenger hunt, and that's the Infinity villain.
Instead of just stumbling onto a weird scene, players can actually follow the secrets around as if they were a set of clues, leading them to the criminal.
Graffiti and creepy nursery rhymes lead the player all over the map, until finally they reach a cell block in the prison.
Word on the street is the Infinity villain perished in that prison cell, but this is one GTA mystery that remains unsolved.
The Collector's Edition Map Has All The Secrets
This isn't really a secret per se, but it's a pretty crucial piece of information for all you GTA treasure hunters out there. If you want to find all of the secrets in the world of GTA V, there's a map that shows all of the points of interest.
No, we're not talking about an online map or walkthrough, we're talking about a real, physical map. This is, of course, the map that came with the collector's edition version of GTA V.
Although it might look like another normal map, the truth is that it's filled with secrets. These secrets are only visible under the exposure of a black light, however. The map includes hints about how to find UFOs, hidden areas, and much more.
The GTA Version Of The Bermuda Triangle
Most people know about the real life legend of the Bermuda Triangle, but few of us are aware that there's actually a version of this in GTA V. For those who don't know, the Bermuda Triangle is an area off the coast of Florida famous for all manner of strange and unexplained phenomena. Ships have gone missing, planes have completely disappeared, and things generally get a little weird when people enter the Bermuda Triangle.
The GTA version is located in Paleto Bay, and many players have noticed its effects while playing GTA V Online.
Basically, as soon as you enter this area, you are teleported backwards, without your vehicles. Certain things might go missing from your inventory as well.
The Face In The Mountain
This is a secret that many GTA V gamers know about, although not everyone agrees on what it actually is. What's clear is that there is a face carved into the mountain of Mount Chiliad, and it's quite easy to see.
While some gamers might have missed it, it seems that this is definitely not a rock formation, and developers definitely intended this to be a face of some kind. Now, people are split on whose face it's supposed to be.
Some say that the face resembles a certain Jesse Pinkman from the series Breaking Bad. Others say that the face is actually supposed to represent the face of one of the games developers behind GTA V. No one really knows for sure.
The Legend Of The Goatman
We all know that in previous GTA entries, strange creatures have been sighted by players. Supernatural beasts such as Bigfoot and others have been documented by gamers, and it's fairly certain that the developers put these beasts in the game for a reason.
While Bigfoot is the creature most gamers talk about, there's another one that has been getting a lot of attention.
Some players call him the Goatman, and it is very rare to see him. Those who have laid eyes on him say that he is humanoid in nature, with furry goat legs and two large horns. It is also said that he roams the area of the Catfish View Bridge. This is one secret that most gamers have never laid eyes on.
Giant Bones In The Oceans
While legends of supernatural creatures roaming the lands are common, we also hear a lot about legendary sea creatures. The Loch Ness Monster is one famous example, and that might have been what inspired the developers of GTA V to place enormous bones at the bottom of the sea.
Some say that these bones actually resemble the prehistoric Megaladon - a gigantic shark. Others say that the bones are a reference to gigantic whale, perhaps the one from the novel Moby Dick. But whatever the beast was intended to be, there's no doubt that it was massive.
The bones are found on the Eastern edge of the map, and players who love exploring the depths of the ocean will be rewarded with these mysterious bones.
The Mysterious Underwater Hatch
Speaking of underwater secrets, there's a lot more than just giant bones waiting at the depths of GTA V's waters. Treasure hunters also found a mysterious hatch at the bottom of the sea. In fact, the hatch is so deep that the water pressure makes it impossible to get close to.
It's impossible to enter the hatch, but players have noted that it emits a coded message in tap code.
Diligent gamers translated the code as being a reference to Roman Bellic from GTA IV. The hatch itself is a reference, and fans of the series Lost will no doubt be able to spot this one a mile away. It's a neat touch that is one of GTA V's most mysterious secrets.
GTA: San Andreas Characters
While improvements have no doubt been made to the GTA franchise over the years, those of us who've been playing these games for many years still reminisce about the joys of prior titles. Games such as GTA: San Andreas made a huge impact on many people all around the world, and some still regard it as the best ever GTA game - even after all these years.
Because GTA V takes place in the same area as GTA: San Andreas, a reference to the earlier title was almost inevitable. In fact, players can still visit Grove Street, and in doing so they will see three NPCs riding bikes. These NPCs resemble CJ, Big Smoke, and Sweet.
Bigfoot Is Real...
Bigfoot has been a legendary figure in the GTA franchise for many years now, and players have reported sightings of this legendary beast since the days of San Andreas.
It was never truly confirmed before, but in the newest entry, the developers seem to have actually included him.
Bigfoot appears during one of the story missions, when the player is sniping the O'Neils during the mission "Predator," Bigfoot's heat signature can be spotted roaming around in the forest. He's only there for a few seconds before he disappears, but it's been pretty much confirmed that this is in fact the legendary forest monster.
The Sand Shark
Some players might have walked right past this GTA V secret and not even realized it. Even though it's probably not the most well-hidden secret in the game, it's definitely one of the coolest and most interesting, and it's known to the world as the sand shark.
It's actually supposed to be a sandcastle, and it's probably a reference to the more imaginative sandcastles you might see at competitions on the beach. Of course, real sharks also exist in the world of GTA V, but they're hardly a secret. T
his sand shark is not only more interesting than a real shark, but also much more rare. Gamers can find this secret on Vespucci Beach.
A Real Zombie... Kind Of
Most of us know that the Vinewood area of Los Santos is an obvious reference to the real area of Hollywood, and as such it's filled with all kinds of oddities. It's where many missions take place, and you can find tons of NPCs acting weird.
Perhaps the strangest person you'll meet on the streets of Vinewood is the Vinewood Zombie. Gamers might immediately assume that this is in fact a real zombie, but it's not the case.
Stick around for long enough, and you'll witness the zombie break character.
He's probably supposed to be an actor rehearsing for an audition or something along those lines. This is just another secret that a lot of gamers miss.
The General Weirdness Of Mount Chiliad
If you're on the hunt for strange secrets and weird occurrences in GTA, there's not many better locations than Mount Chiliad.
We've already mentioned a few hidden secrets that can be found on this mountaintop, but we're only really scratching the surface. In fact, there might even still be more secrets out there that players haven't found yet.
If you take a cable car to the top of the mountain, you'll find a strange map at the peak.
People still haven't been able to figure out what it means, but it looks like there are secret, hidden areas inside the mountain. At least, that's what the map seems to be insinuating, although it could just be a wild goose chase.
Find Thelma And Louise Trapped On A Cliff
People who have played past titles from Rockstar Games know that they're usually filled with pop culture references. Some of the most memorable missions and moments we've experienced in the GTA world have been sarcastic spins on our favorite movies, comic books, musicians, and other parts of pop culture.
GTA V is no exception, and many of the secrets we find in this game are in fact pop culture references. One of the most notable is a couple of women hanging out in a convertible on the cliffs of Mount Chiliad, surrounded by police.
This is of course a reference to the climatic scene from Thelma & Louise. It's a sly reference to the 1991 movie that a lot of people loved.
Master Chief Hanging Out Near A Movie Theater
Of course, in this day and age, pop culture references are not just limited to comic books, movies, and music. Today, games like GTA V are just as likely to reference a classic movie as they are other video games.
Some gamers were surprised to find references to the Halo franchise in GTA V, and this came in the form of Master Chief.
However, it wasn't like Master Chief was a character in the story, and what we saw in GTA V didn't exactly look authentic. Head to Vineland and you will see a couple of guys hanging out in front of a cinema, dressed almost exactly like Master Chief - albeit with a low-budget "cosplay" version of the iconic Spartan armor.
A Giant Snowman Is Waiting For You
Another clear pop culture reference can be found in the area of La Mesa. This secret can be found by peeking into one of the cold storage facilities, where the player is greeted by the face of a giant snowman.
It's not hard to guess who this snowman is supposed to be.
After all, there aren't many famous snowmen out there. Yes, that's right, this is probably supposed to be a reference to Frosty the Snowman, a fictional personality that people love to talk about in winter time.
It's another neat touch, and a great secret that a lot of you probably missed. We're thinking that there must be at least one person on the development team who's a big fan of Frosty.
Get James Bond's Car
This is yet another movie reference, and this time it's a franchise that most of us know and love - James Bond. Cars have always been a focus for players of this series, and some of these automobiles are also "secrets" in their own right.
A prime example is a car available for purchase by Micheal Townley. This car is the famous classic James Bond car that everyone loves, and it costs a whopping $475,000. This car is only available to buy after completing the mission "Deep Inside," and it bears the license plate "JB 700," an obvious reference to the James Bond series.
Don't get too excited, though - the dealership has removed the mounted machine guns.
A Recreation Of A Scene From No Country For Old Men
We've already seen that GTA V has tons of references from movies, and yet another one of these secret pop culture references can be found at Mount Chiliad State Wilderness Park. It's a scene taken almost exactly from the movie No Country For Old Men, and it's certainly much darker than the aforementioned Thelma & Louise reference.
Players will stumble onto a handful of abandoned cars, all with evidence of a major gunfight.
Just like the movie, players will also find a cool $25,000 of in-game money stashed in a shiny case, on the back of a pick up truck. This is technically a "random encounter," meaning it won't happen every single time you visit this location.
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Did we miss any hidden secrets in Grand Theft Auto V? Let us know in the comments!