Summary
- Grand Theft Auto Online offers a vast and immersive sandbox experience with a range of activities and missions to enjoy at the player's own pace.
- Despite being over a decade old, Rockstar continues to support Grand Theft Auto Online with regular updates and new content, ensuring its longevity.
- While Grand Theft Auto Online may show its age compared to newer games, its ongoing support and familiar gameplay make it a solid choice for fans awaiting the release of Grand Theft Auto 6.
Grand Theft Auto Online has been around for over a decade and entering 2024, players may wonder how much longer they should keep playing. Of course, there's nothing wrong with continuing to play a game long after its release. Online games tend to age at a different pace than their offline counterparts, though. A large part of this is due to their ongoing status, rather than being a one-and-done adventure, except for some patches and content updates. Grand Theft Auto Online is not immune to aging, but the question is whether its time is approaching soon.
Throughout Rockstar's history, the Grand Theft Auto series has evolved, and Grand Theft Auto Online gave it a dimension that no previous GTA game had. It lets the player loose in Los Santos without the usual tense storyline that past protagonists had to follow. Instead, they have a world of activities to take part in and missions to tackle at their leisure, with more options opening up as they increase in level, amassing money and respect. In essence, it is the biggest sandbox that Grand Theft Auto has ever offered. It's no surprise that Grand Theft Auto Online is so popular with that taken into account.
GTA 5 and GTA Online Features That Shouldn't Return in GTA 6
GTA 6 has to give fans a seamless gaming experience to live up to the hype, and some features from GTA 5 and Online should be dropped to deliver it.
Grand Theft Auto Online is a Consistent but Aging Sandbox
In light of the latest Grand Theft Auto Online update, it's clear that Rockstar does not intend on dropping support for the game in the near future. Just like in recent years, players should be able to expect regular maintenance, with a new update or expansion every few months or so. Grand Theft Auto Online looks like it will keep growing over the next year, which does make a solid argument for continuing to play. Following this pattern will result in additions such as:
- New cars and other vehicles
- New weapons
- New clothes and other cosmetics
- New missions and storylines
- Holiday events
A detail that can be hard to overlook is how GTA Online is over 10 years old at this point. While a lot of old games are still excellent, GTA Online is still running on the same engine as Grand Theft Auto 5, and it's starting to show its age. This is especially true after Red Dead Redemption 2 was released in 2018, which was a major improvement over the former in terms of gameplay. Even with so much new content being added to the game, Grand Theft Auto Online can't outrun the competition forever, especially with more open-world games on the horizon.
In light of the latest Grand Theft Auto Online update, it's clear that Rockstar does not intend on dropping support for the game in the near future.
The recent announcement of Grand Theft Auto 6 adds a question for players. In the wait for Grand Theft Auto 6's release date, Grand Theft Auto Online may be the best way for players to stay fresh for the next game. While replaying other GTA titles is still an option, GTA Online has the advantage of continued support. While the overall experience may be more chaotic than average due to the other players, it's still Grand Theft Auto at its core, and the general rules are the same. Those anticipating Grand Theft Auto 6 may not have a better option presently available.
Grand Theft Auto Online is arguably Rockstar's flagship game at this point, at least until Grand Theft Auto 6 comes out. While the difficulties facing GTA 6's version of GTA Online are something to think about in the future, the current version of the game is still perfectly playable. Of course, it is up to personal preference whether one wants to play Grand Theft Auto Online. Some fans may simply not be interested in online games, after all. For others, Grand Theft Auto Online should still be perfectly playable throughout 2024.
- Released
- October 1, 2013
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar North
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Engine
- Rockstar Advanced Game Engine
WHERE TO PLAY
- Franchise
- Grand Theft Auto
- Number of Players
- 1-8 (Online Co-Op); 1-30 (Multiplayer)
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PS4, PS3, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
- How Long To Beat
- 120+ Hours
- File Size Xbox Series
- 101 GB (July 2023)
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
