GTA Online went through many ups and downs throughout the year 2023. While Rockstar Games was secretly gearing up for the official reveal of its upcoming project, it also provided enough content to keep Grand Theft Auto 5 Online players busy. The multiplayer game received multiple weekly updates and two brand-new DLCs during this period.
However, only a few things can be regarded as noteworthy. This article mentions the five best things that GTA Online players witnessed in 2023.
Note: This article is subjective and only reflects the writer's opinions.
5 notable events that happened in GTA Online in 2023
1) Eclipse Boulevard Garage
The Eclipse Boulevard Garage is one of the most popular properties added to Grand Theft Auto Online in 2023. While garages have been in the multiplayer game for ages, the unique feature of this property is that you can store up to 50 vehicles inside a single building. There are five floors that can hold up to 10 vehicles each.
The Eclipse Boulevard Garage is one of the best things to buy in GTA Online in 2023. It is an independent property similar to other small garages. However, its storage capacity makes it stand out from the crowd. The Dynasty 8 Real Estate website sells this property for $2,740,000.
2) Gun Van
The Gun Van was a game-changing addition to GTA Online. Rockstar Games added it to the multiplayer game in January 2023 as a secret business. As the name implies, it is a weapon store. However, it is a competitor of Ammu-Nation and offers weapons at lower prices.
It also offers exclusive weapons that cannot be found anywhere in the game. The GTA Online Battle Rifle is the newest addition to its offering after The Chop Shop DLC update. Some other exclusive weapons include the Tactical SMG, Railgun, Baseball Bat, etc. Another noteworthy thing is that the Gun Van changes its location every day.
3) Hangar business changes
The Hangar business has been in the multiplayer game since August 2017. However, Rockstar Games added a significant improvement with the San Andreas Mercenaries DLC. While the business has always been aircraft-centric, the Summer 2023 DLC allowed players to operate it using land vehicles. This made sourcing and selling cargo from the Hangar business much easier than before.
Rockstar Games offers five locations to establish the Hangar business in GTA Online. You can select any one of them based on your preferences and budget. However, the community strongly recommends owning one of the Fort Zancudo-based Hangars as it permanently disables the wanted level when you enter the military property.
4) Easy insurance claims
Claiming vehicle insurance through Mors Mutual Insurance is undoubtedly one of the most used features in GTA Online. Whenever your purchased vehicle gets destroyed, you can call the company to get it restored. Even if multiple vehicles of yours get destroyed, you can contact them to claim insurance. However, previously, you had to call individually for each destroyed vehicle.
After the San Andreas Mercenaries DLC, Rockstar Games made it easy for players to restore their personal vehicles in GTA Online. You can now claim insurance for all of your destroyed vehicles with a single phone call. This small quality-of-life change saves plenty of time in the long run.
5) Drift-Tuning upgrade
The addition of the Drift-Tuning upgrade was one of the most surprising things to happen in Grand Theft Auto Online in 2023. Drifting is a popular sport in the multiplayer game, and players have been actively doing it since the Tuners update. However, after The Chop Shop DLC, the Drift-Tuning upgrade completely changed the drifting scenario in the game.
There are currently eight drift vehicles in GTA Online on which you can apply the Drift-Tuning upgrade. This makes the vehicles spin and slide more on the road, allowing experienced drifters to show off their skills. There are also seven new drift races you can participate in after applying this upgrade.