5 features in GTA Online that need major improvement

It isn't easy for an online multiplayer game to have not only survived but thrived in the way GTA Online has been able to for the last eight years or so. Despite a rather underwhelming launch, the game was able to build a steady stream of content on its foundation and develop into the expansive experience that it is today.

GTA Online does a great job of providing players with an insane variety of game modes and match types, plus some neat story content. Yet certain features feel half-baked at best, and some that need a complete overhaul.

For some mysterious reason, Rockstar Games does not have a dedicated roadmap that addresses quality-of-life changes or major updates to the game. In the era of long-running games, GTA Online has a lot of catching up to do.

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5 features in GTA Online that need major improvement

1) Bad Sport lobbies

Bad Sport lobbies have always been a thing of the GTA Online world but are often mysterious in how they operate. Griefers have exploited loopholes in the rules and are not branded a "bad sport" when they are in lobbies destroying cargo and being a general nuisance.

It is hard to combat griefers organically, but raising the penalty for being a Bad Sport should be something Rockstar should look into. While it is appreciated that the publisher has a system in place to separate the bad seeds from the rest, it ultimately needs to be far more direct and clear in its execution.

2) Melee combat

Melee combat is often an afterthought in GTA Online, mostly reduced to a few button taps if a player gets too close. While nobody suggests that GTA Online should suddenly become something akin to Absolver, there should be enough reason for players to consider melee combat.

While certain game modes focusing on melee combat could be a step forward, there needs to be a proper melee combat system in place. As of now, melee combat in both Online and Story Mode is next to negligible.

3) Disable/Block certain contacts from calling

It is a neat touch that several key figures on the criminal ladder would approach the GTA Online protagonist for jobs. However, it starts to get on the player's nerves when they get the same call from Lester for the 185th time in a row.

Instead, if the player chooses to block or reject someone's call, there should be an option for their call to appear in text form via messages. Players can read these messages later and not be pestered by a couple of dozen phone calls when trying to do important missions in GTA Online.

4) A better tutorial for beginners

Playing GTA Online in 2021 is an absolute nightmare should the player have never played it from the start or have resumed playing after a long break. It is absolutely staggering how the game has progressed and can be extremely overwhelming for any new player who boots the game up.

They are mostly hit with multiple dialog boxes and phone calls at once, which is pretty disorienting. The "tutorial" does absolutely nothing to teach players the basics of anything in GTA Online apart from the standard contact mission.

A better tutorial that sheds light on the various businesses, heists, and properties should be something Rockstar works on.

5) Smaller, quality-of-life updates

It is absolutely bizarre that GTA Online still doesn't have a solid roadmap or a team that continuously pumps out quality-of-life updates. Rather than massive, sweeping updates once or twice a year, smaller byte-sized updates might help retain more players.

The weekly updates should be more than just bonuses and discounts, as they should also include minor, quality-of-life updates that improve things over time.