The incredible world of Grand Theft Auto V: Three days before its highly-anticipated release, we look at virtual environment set to become home for game's millions of fans

For any boss wondering why half their staff has called in sick on Tuesday morning, this will be the reason.
The fifth, and much hyped, episode of Rockstar Game's controversial and Grand Theft Auto series will be released at midnight on Monday.
Anticipating queues of gamers snaking down high streets all over the country, Rockstar has allegedly allocated 3million copies for the UK launch alone.

Bi-winning: Each mission can be completed in a variety of different ways using a huge array of tactics

Autos: Set in a satirically re-imagined Los Angeles the game will feature a huge set of vehicles from cars to boats and even jet planes

Huge: From urban sprawl to isolated wilderness the map for GTA V will be one of the largest ever

If they sell on day one GTA will smash the UK record for fastest selling game of all time, currently held by Call of Duty: Black Ops which sold 1.4million on day one back in 2010.
Rob Crossley, associate editor of gaming news site CVG, told The Guardian: '3million is an astonishing figure.
'Put it this way, that launch allocation accounts for a quarter of all combined Xbox 360 and PS3 owners in the UK.' 

Watch the Grand Theft Auto 5 trailer

How times change: When the franchise started in 1997 the graphics were 2D and looked nothing like the new ultra-detailed version

Play your way: Players can build their own team of fellow criminals to do business with, opting for cheap and stupid or expensive and specialised

What's your leisure?: Players will be able to take part in a variety of activities including golf, quad-bike racing and scuba diving

The game will also feature a huge online multiplayer mode, allowing gamers to meet up and complete missions together, race against their friends in planes, or hang out together in a virtual apartment.
Players can also create challenges for their friends to compete in, from shoot-em-up deathmatches to 18-hole golf courses.
This means that, even once the expansive storyline has been completed, there will be virtually limitless opportunities to try out new content.

Characters: GTA V will feature three main characters who come together to organise robberies. Trevor, an unhinged man from a trailer park, is one of them

Conflicted: Ex-bank-robber and family man Micheal is another one of the main characters trying to balance a respectable lifestyle with his criminal past

Franklin: an ex-street gangster, he is the third main character. The opportunity to switch between all three will bringing a whole new element of strategy to the game

As with any GTA game players will be able to equip themselves with an arsenal of different weapons, personalise their character with clothing from a range of different stores, and fill a garage with highly customised cars.
Unlike previous games however, career criminals will have different ways of investing their hard-earned and ill-gotten loot.
A full functioning stock market will allow players to invest in lucrative ventures in the hope of making more money, or those of a less risky persuasion could chose to invest in real estate instead.