Is HSW on old gen GTA? Let‘s dig into this next-gen upgrade

Hao‘s Special Works tuning is one of the most exciting additions I‘ve experienced in GTA Online lately. I mean, who wouldn‘t want souped up supercars hitting over 150 mph?! But it‘s exclusive to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S… so what about us on old gen consoles?

I know you might be wondering if HSW is available on PS4 and Xbox One. Or at least thinking is it worth upgrading to access these insane hypercars? As a fellow gamer and racing enthusiast, let me walk you through everything you need to know.

HSW is a next-gen exclusive feature not available on old gen

First, let‘s establish that Hao‘s Special Works performance upgrades and vehicles are indeed locked to new consoles like PS5 and Series X/S.

Rockstar designed the content to take advantage of the more powerful hardware – unfortunately the old gen systems just can‘t handle the strains of that speed! As Rockstar told IGN:

"To maintain gameplay quality in GTA Online, we have aimed to avoid separating the community as much as possible. However, as gaming hardware continues to evolve, we are approaching technical thresholds beyond which we cannot efficiently run the application while preserving high resolution, high frame-rate, high fidelity experiences."

So the limitations of aging PS4 and Xbox One hardware mean we can‘t access HSW tuning or play with new gen players. A necessary tradeoff.

But while we miss out on that insane new content, let‘s look on the bright side – there are still amazing cars and customization options we can enjoy!

Quick cars available on old gen GTA Online

HSW takes new gen performance to the next level. But fear not – fast and fun vehicles still await us on PS4 and Xbox One:

Overflod Entity XXR

• Top Speed: 127mph
• Strength: Straight line highway blitzer

Ocelot Pariah

• Top Speed: 136mph
• Strength: Dominant top speed

Pfister 811

• Top Speed: 132mph
• Strength: Fastest non-weaponized supercar

Bravado Banshee 900R

• Top Speed: 131mph
• Strength: Tuned up custom Banshee with 918hp twin-turbo V8

Pegassi Zentorno

• Strength: Balanced performance for all kinds of races

And while we may not reach the heady heights of 150+ mph, crossing 100 mph still delivers an exhilarating thrill!

How your GTA Online progress crosses over to new gen

If you do decide to upgrade to PS5 or Xbox Series X/S (or grab them as future birthday gifts – I see you!), you‘ll be pleased to know all your existing progress carries over. Your characters, money, businesses, vehicles, property and everything else transfers to the new console.

The key is linking your Rockstar Games Social Club account. I‘d recommend doing this now so you‘re prepared. It ensures your progress is waiting on new hardware if you make the jump later.

Here‘s a quick look at what transfers over from old gen to new gen consoles:

• Characters and character progress
• In-game money
• Weapons
• Clothes and player appearance
• Vehicles and properties
• Businesses, business progress and stock
• Achievements and trophies
• Matchmaking and leaderboards

So you can immediately pick up right where you left off – now with access to that coveted HSW content we‘re missing on old gen!

How other games handle new gen upgrades

For comparison, let‘s look at how some other big games handle new and old gen versions:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II

• New gen has higher player counts, better graphics/frame rates
• But supports cross-gen play so friends can game together

FIFA 23

• Separate old gen and new gen game engines optimized for each
• No cross-gen play

NBA 2K23

• New gen has superior 4K visuals at 60fps
• Also no cross-gen matchmaking

So it‘s common for capabilities to vary across console generations – but conveniently our progress still carries over in most games today.

Is upgrading worth it for HSW?

At the end of the day, only you can decide if upgrading to next-gen is worthwhile for exclusive content like Hao‘s Special Works.

For me as a gearhead who loves racing in GTA Online, it‘s an exciting upgrade I‘m seriously considering. Based on what I‘ve researched about HSW so far, here are some of the key benefits:

Lightning-fast top speeds

HSW cars can exceed 150 mph with the right upgrades – leaving even the fastest old gen supercars in the dust! Just look at these insane boosted top speeds:

• Declasse Vigero ZX: 157 mph
• Shitzu Hakuchou Drag: 157 mph
• Benefactor Stirling GT: 156 mph

I don‘t know about you, but hitting those speeds in GTA with buttery smooth new gen performance is a rush I want to experience!

Cutting-edge customization

HSW allows for deep cosmetic customization with unique widebody kits, rear wings, splitters, custom liveries and more. You can really craft special one-of-a-kind rides.

Advanced performance tuning

Engines tuned to perfection, slick racing transmissions, lowered suspensions – HSW takes vehicle handling and speed to unprecedented levels.

Exclusive HSW Race Series

Put your modified vehicles to the test in a new high stakes race series open only to HSW cars. Experience these beasts in their natural track habitat!

Plus a range of other new gen benefits like 4K visuals, ray tracing, 60fps performance, faster load times, and the prestigious bragging rights…

For me, that‘s more than enough incentive to start saving up for a PS5. But let me know what you decide! I‘m happy to share more insights into HSW and new gen gameplay once I get there. Either way, thanks for reading – stay fast!