5 reasons why GTA Online will go down in history as one of the most successful multiplayer titles

GTA Online is one of the most played multiplayer titles in the current gaming market. Despite the title's old age, Rockstar Games continues to support it and provides periodical DLCs and updates. With the advent of Grand Theft Auto 6, there's a chance that the multiplayer game will be gradually abandoned after 2025, but it has already had a massive impact.

This article lists five reasons why Rockstar Games’ GTA Online will be remembered as one of the most successful multiplayer titles in the history of video games.

Note: This article is subjective and only reflects the writer's opinions.

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5 things that make GTA Online one of the greatest multiplayer video games in history

1) Free to play

GTA Online is free to play, which has helped attract thousands of players. Although Rockstar Games recently added some paywall elements, such as the GTA Plus benefits, most of the game is still playable without you having to spend any extra money. There are many potential monetization opportunities in the title, but Rockstar has prioritized accessibility over profit.

You can simply buy a licensed copy of Grand Theft Auto 5, or the standalone multiplayer game directly on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and start playing. Most of the items hidden behind a paywall can be acquired in-game with just a little grind.

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2) Updates galore even after a decade

There are only a few multiplayer games that receive new DLC updates for a long time after its initial release. Rockstar Games continues to support GTA Online even after a decade and has also confirmed that it will receive new updates in the future.

GTA Online receives a major DLC update every six months and a new weekly update every Thursday, which is truly remarkable. Rockstar Games also celebrates most global festivals and occasions in the game, including Halloween, Christmas, New Year, and Valentine’s Day.

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3) Various game modes

You can try various game modes in Grand Theft Auto Online (Image via Rockstar Games)

Grand Theft Auto Online offers a wide selection of game modes. The main goal for beginners in GTA Online is to make money and climb up the criminal ladder, but there's plenty else to do.

Rockstar Games offers races, PvP combat, car customizations, story-based heists and missions, stunt missions, and many other game modes. You can even take them up as full-time career paths. However, money is an important factor for all the activities, so you must continue grinding.

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4) Impressive vehicle catalog

Despite not being a full-fledged vehicle game, GTA Online has one of the biggest vehicle catalogs in the gaming industry. As of April 2024, you can get your hands on over 500 vehicles belonging to different classes and categories. For added perspective, popular car-themed video games such as Forza Horizon and Gran Turismo offer nearly the same number of vehicles.

Rockstar Games even adds cars inspired by real-life vehicles in GTA Online with every new DLC update.

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5) Inclusion of real-life celebrities

A screenshot from The Contract DLC (Image via Rockstar Games)

Although the inclusion of celebrities in Grand Theft Auto games is not uncommon, Rockstar Games went above and beyond with GTA Online by adding many top-tier artists and celebrities. The most notable example is The Contract DLC, which brought Dr. Dre, Anderson .Paak, and DJ Pooh to the world of Grand Theft Auto.

The upcoming title is also rumored to include many celebrities. T-Pain himself claimed to be a part of the project. Therefore, fans are waiting for the GTA 6 second trailer to see what Rockstar is cooking up.