Just over 7 years later, I finally get Grand Theft Auto Online hype. That’s it, that’s the post.
But seriously now, yes, GTAV continues to be an evergreen title, featuring in the top 10, if not the top 5 weekly game sales every week in most countries. It’s a phenomenon and has resulted in huge returns for TakeTwo. It’ll no doubt continue to break records with its release confirmed for PS5/XBSX
I can completely understand why that would be the case from the single player aspect alone honestly. The game was a technical marvel on the PS3/360, and the enhancements and improvements for PS4/XB1 made it a genuine must have game for console adopters no matter how late in the generation. But I never actually fell in love with the multiplayer.
It’s no secret that from our contributors on this site, I’m the one that often shy’s away from online / multiplayer games, often preferring story driven single player experiences. Occasionally a new bug hits my friends and I like Fall Guys or Gran Turismo Sport, but we don’t tend to stick to them long before I’m back to single player adventures again.
That’s actually kind of what’s happened with the GTA Online hype. During the build up to Christmas and the time off we had, a lot of my friends picked it up for cheap and we all met up online in a private server for shenanigans, wasting virtual money (which we didn’t spend a penny of real money on) in the night club, casino, buying penthouses not knowing what the best properties were, just blowing the free money that was given on initial purchase.

I did however also have a few mil in the bank from the years back when Will and I played on the 360 together (transferring that character across different console platforms is genius) so I joined in the frolics at the nightclub. And while the hype has died down a little with most friends, myself and at least 2 other friends have shifted from the blowing money freely aspect of the game to really enjoying the deeper money making side of the game.
This game is not easy to make money and it is not easy to buy properties quick. Hence the Sharkcards that are making Rockstar and TakeTwo millions of dollars. This is now why I understand why Rockstar would be so reluctant to shift away from GTAV despite the clamouring of fans for a new true addition to the franchise.
The addiction that I’ve found with the game of late is as said about trying to earn money. I researched the businesses, worked out what locations were best value for money in terms of collections and drop offs, researched what sees the best return of investment (Spoiler, you need minimum 44 hours to break even on the best investment in the game) and worked towards following a path of businesses I wanted to own which would result in money returns…. at no point did I research how fun these things would be.

I’m quite a stubborn gamer, I don’t like putting money into a game I’ve already paid for, unless it is absolutely killer DLC. So I’m hugely reluctant to spend a penny on Sharkcards for the game, I’m determined to grind the money. But while that suits my play and probably suits Rockstar too, there will be thousands of less patient people that want that submarine for $2m or that attack buzzard helicopter (my next investment) for $1.7m that will cough up the £15-20 real money for a Sharkcard for $1-2m. And those are the players that Rockstar must really like and the reason why this game will continue to roll over until GTA6 finally comes out, and you just know that Rockstar must be looking at someway to incorporate that online player base to the next online version of GTA somehow.
So it took a while of ignoring GTA to finally see and to reluctantly understand why Rockstar are in no hurry to turn off GTA Online or move onto GTA6. Players like me that get hooked to particular paths in the game, but are however more willing to part with real money to make their experience more fun quicker are absolutely keeping the game going. And while I hear a lot of you loudly saying “No shit”, it genuinely took me playing the game again properly and getting some what addicted to grinding money and hovering over the Sharkcards on PSN to understand this.
– Murr