Warning: The following contains SPOILERS for Grand Theft Auto 5.
Michael De Santa, from GTA 5, is still alive according to Grand Theft Auto Online's recent update called The Contract. The newly-released DLC takes place years after the events that ended Grand Theft Auto 5, and stars Franklin Clinton, who has been tasked with recovering Dr. Dre's missing phone with all of his unreleased tracks. The fate of Franklin after GTA 5 has previously been unconfirmed since the game released in 2013.
Grand Theft Auto 5 gives the player one out of three endings depending on the player's choices. Playing as the main protagonist Franklin, the player either kills Trevor (Ending A), kills Michael (Ending B), or teams up with both Trevor and Michael to take down their enemies (Ending C). Many fans accept Ending C as the official ending of the game as it seems to be the one that most fits Franklin's character and seems the most fleshed out in terms of gameplay. While many accept the third ending as canon, Rockstar has remained quiet on the truth, leading to ongoing speculation about the true ending of GTA 5.
As reported by Kotaku, Grand Theft Auto Online's The Contract has revealed that Michael De Santa is still alive, confirming which of the game's ending is canon in the timeline. In The Contract, as players drive through a movie set while chasing an NPC, Franklin says, "Man, s---, I know one of the producers around here. I hope his a-- ain’t at work today." This movie set is located at Richards Majestic Productions - the same studio where Michael got a job as a producer in GTA 5. This seemingly off-hand comment essentially concludes that Ending C of Grand Theft Auto 5 is the canonical ending to the 2013 video game, as it reveals that Michael is working there even in 2021. The clip in question has been shared to YouTube by GTA Series Videos and can be seen below.
The new clip is perhaps the first proof from Rockstar Games that GTA 5's Ending C is canon, just as many fans had expected. Throughout GTA Online's run over the years, there have been several hints to Ending C being the actual ending, without outright confirmation. For example, Ron Jakowski called Trevor his old boss, while making a reference to his personality while in the Vinewood district. This, combined with the fact that GTA 5's Quentin Tarantino-like character Michael still possibly works at a studio, makes for a solid argument that both Trevor and Michael are alive and well.
Considering that both Trevor and now Franklin have made an appearance in Grand Theft Auto Online, it's likely only a matter of time before Michael makes his official appearance. Fans will likely be relieved to see that the trio's friendship has survived over the years, and it's possible that the success of the GTA Online The Contract update could well make it happen.
Sources: GTA Series Videos/YouTube (via Kotaku)