As expected, Game Informer magazine's December issue has spilled the first major details of Grand Theft Auto V, with the digital version of the publication pre-empting news-stand leaks for a change.

Here are some of the key points from their lavish 18-page spread, courtesy of the ever-resourceful NeoGAF forums:

• Three Protagonists: Trevor (redneck), Michael (older white guy), and Franklin (black/mixed guy).
  
• Each character has his own personality, motivation, and skillset.
  
• Vehicles: cars and trucks, bikes (BMX, mountain), dirtbikes, ATVs, helicopters, planes, and jet skis.
  
• Los Santos in GTA V is bigger than the worlds of RDR, San Andreas, and GTA IV combined.
  
• Heists will be predominantly featured in GTA V. (Heat, anyone?)
  
• Customize your look but not San Andreas style RPG elements.
  
• Side-missions that Rockstar mentioned include: yoga, triathlons, tennis, and golf.
  
• Random NPC encounters are back and more developed.

Rockstar Promises:

• More fleshed out missions ala "Three Leaf Clover".
  
• More complex side missions and activities similar to Red Dead. "It's better to have one really good mini game than five half-assed ones that aren't fun".
  
• Better driving controls
  
• Improved shooting mechanics
  
• Refined melee combat
  
• Vibrant in-game economy (but no buying property)

Grand Theft Auto 5 is due in Autumn 2013 (Northern Spring) on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

The game's second trailer is due on November 14th US Pacific Time, which will be next Thursday morning here in Australia.