GTA 5: Christmas arrives in Los Santos as update brings snowball fights, festive jumpers and a homing missile launcher

Update also includes Christmas trees and ugly jumpers

Christmas jumpers and hats haven't entirely warmed the hearts of GTA 5's characters — seen here demonstrating the new homing missile (Rockstar Games)

Grand Theft Auto 5 is to get a Christmas update, as Rockstar releases special downloadable content to celebrate the festive season.

The update brings a classically Grand Theft Auto twist to Christmas — as well as Christmas jumpers, hats, snow and snowball fights, it also brings a homing missile launcher and proximity mines. (“Just in time to make spirits bright”, Rockstar notes.)

The company says that the extremely rare phenomenon of San Andreas snowfall has also hit the state, bringing with it snow-packed Grand Theft Auto and the possibility of snowball fights, which do damage when they hit other players.

The new masks include a gingerbread man head (Rockstar Games)

The update also brings themes pyjamas, Christmas sweaters, scarves, hats, masks and more. All of the festive clothes will be free and available until January 5.

The game will also drop Christmas presents under the tree that will appear in players’ houses.

The update also brings new cars — including a van and new racing cars. The update also brings the ability to own a third garage, so that you can store them.

Snow in Los Santos brings snowball fights, but Rockstar warns that the snowballs can pack a punch (Rockstar Games)

The company is running a Christmas livestream on its Twitch channel tomorrow, where the new kit will be revealed. There will also be a contest on the game’s social network, Snapmatic, for the best festive pictures.