I just bought Grand Theft Auto 5, and I am looking forward to playing it. But I'd like to know whether any of the old characters make an appearance in the new game.
I know the new game is based around new protagonists, but do any of the old characters (such as Carl Johnson, The Truth, Sweet etc) make an appearance? If so, is it simply a cameo, or are they interwoven into the storyline?
The old PS2 games (GTA3 through San Andreas) and the current generation titles exist in separate continuities. Outside of possible Easter eggs there probably won't be any direct appearances.
Except for Lazlow. He's in all the games.
Edited to add
Finished the game the other day and no characters from GTA: San Andrea make a direct appearance. There are characters that look like some of the characters from SA riding bikes, but they are just Easter eggs. Especially given that those characters would be in their 40's if it was actually them.
Sorry I disagree with the chosen answer there are cameo appearances and easter eggs from previous games. Well there are cameo appearances from GTA IV game none from games before that but there are easter eggs from throughout the GTA Universe.
Characters that appear include :
OG Loc - Doesn't make an appears but there are references to him. One being the Album on the floor of Franklin's first house
Something that hasn't been confirmed by myself is "In addition, players are also bound to run into ‘Sweet’ Johnson, CJ’s brother in the GTAV campaign."
Packie McReary - Who will appear as a random event doing a heist on a local convenience store and you have to be his getaway driver. Whilst in the car he will talk about how he worked for a eastern European guy in Liberty City and he describes Niko exactly. Once you come to the end of this random event he will offer his services to you and you will be able to use him as a Gun for hire in the Heists taking I think 14% cut.
Johnny Klebitz - You will see Johnny for the last time when you meet Trevor for the first time. No spoilers as I thought this was a good part to the story.
The Lost - Other members of The Lost will also make an appears throughout GTA V including Ashley Butler (Who Trevor is banging), Terry Thorpe, Clay Simons and several others.
Brucie Kibbutz - Circa 2013, Brucie has become the spokesman for Bullshark Testosterone supplements. The player can look at the website for Bullshark testosterone and even hear a Weazel News report about the effects of Bullshark testosterone, both of which mention Brucie as the spokesman. Brucie is also an avid bleeter and his bleets can be read on Bleeter with new ones being posted throughout progression of the storyline, with bleets covering on his life and give-aways on calenders from 2012 that feature pin-ups of himself.
Easter eggs that appear in GTAV from previous GTA games are :
Grove Street - The return of Grove Street where CJs house was located in San Andreas is back. Rockstar official annouced this as an easter egg.
In the first heist Lester also makes reference to Eastern European guy who worked out of Liberty City but in recent months has gone quite. This was a reference to Niko Belic
In GTA III you do a mission (Bomb Da Base) for 8-Ball where you have to blow up a freighter, in GTA V the second heist gives you the option of blowing up a freighter in a simpler manner, this is a reference to the very same mission from GTA III.
Welcome back sign - When you have located Grove Street you should also see a sign painted on the wall saying "Welcome Back" this is a reference to the fact that GTA IV was not based in San Andreas and it is welcoming plays back, also note that it is in the Grove Street Families (GSF) colors.
Random other cameos from movies and games include :
Red Dead - There is a book located in Franklin's house in Vinewood (Also a Rockstar game).
The Lost Hatch - When you get your hands on a submarine you can go looking for the Lost Hatch.
Master Chief - Master Chief appears twice in the game, once on the street near the Cinema Doppler and another as an action figure in Lesters house.
Claptrap - There is a small easter egg honoring claptrap from Borderlands 2
Trevor from The Shining - You can actually dress Trevor up as Jack Nicholson's Character from the Shining and he is the spitting image of him.
The Elysian Fields Freeway is named after the Elysian Fields company in L.A. Noire another Rockstar game developed by Team Bondi.
Updates
There's a Mad Dogg poster on Franklin's bedroom wall in his first house.
On the mission when you go to grove street to buy coke or crack or whatever it is then when you are supposed to turn left into grove street go right and then you will see CJ, Sweet and Ryder riding bicycles together.
