Is gta online a separate game from the main gta series story modes?

Grand Theft Auto Online functions as the online multiplayer component of Grand Theft Auto V rather than a standalone title. While GTA V includes a single-player story mode set in the fictional state of San Andreas, Online expands the universe into a persistent online world where players can explore Los Santos, engage in cooperative or competitive modes, and customize their experiences. Though released separately after GTA V's 2013 launch, Online is explicitly tied to GTA V's world and mechanics, serving as a live-service extension rather than an independent narrative. Its integration with GTA V's setting and systems makes it inseparable from the main series' foundation.