5 major changes GTA 6 Online should implement

GTA 6 is the next major installment in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, and the hype surrounding the game is absolutely surreal. Grand Theft Auto 6 will be released in 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles, and a trailer has already been revealed. With Grand Theft Auto Online being the biggest draw for the series right now, many fans are eager to know what the multiplayer counterpart of the upcoming game will be like.

The 2022 leaks gave a sneak peek into the next game's online mode but didn't reveal much. GTA Online fans have a long list of complaints about things they want changed in the game, and some of those have been mentioned here. This includes everything from gameplay elements to the map and even the in-game transactions.

Note: The article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinion.

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5 things Rockstar needs to include in GTA 6 Online

1) Less Shark Cards

In GTA Online, Rockstar sells microtransactions called Shark Cards that add a large sum of money to the player's in-game account. Without these, the game requires a lot of grinding, with most players having to spend hours before making any real progress with their business. This adds a pay-to-win aspect to the game, where those who spend more real-life money tend to get ahead of those who don't.

However, this seems quite unfair in a game that's sold at full price. It also destabilizes the in-game economy by inflating the prices of all purchasable vehicles and properties due to sudden and frequent cash infusions. This in turn, makes GTA Online harder and less enjoyable for players who don't buy microtransactions. As such, Shark Cards are something GTA 6 should avoid at all costs.

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2) Faster loading

Launched over a decade ago, Grand Theft Auto Online is quite an old game at this point. Despite its age, the title takes a long time to load, even on most modern systems. This is actually more of an issue with the server than individuals' hardware due to the peer-to-peer system that the servers run on.

The issue was much worse even just a few years back, before a fan found a breakthrough. Rockstar implemented the tweak in the game, but loading on public servers still takes a while, especially on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Rockstar should ensure that the next multiplayer game doesn't waste so much time and makes the online experience less frustrating.

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3) A changing world

Even after a decade of frequent updates and new content being injected into the game, the game world in GTA Online has barely changed at all. There have been some new buildings and several new interiors, but San Andreas still feels like the same place it was ten years ago. Some buildings, like the Mile High Club, remain incomplete to this day.

This doesn't really add to an immersive experience, as the open-world map doesn't change with time. The snow update freshens things a bit, but not too much. Grand Theft Auto 6's Online mode could use small dynamic changes with each major update. The updates could include differences in a store's interior, new buildings propping up in empty spaces, or existing buildings being altered.

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4) Balanced prices

Shark Cards in GTA Online have ruined the in-game economy by inflating the price of all purchasable items and properties. However, the prices aren't affected by microtransactions alone. Rockstar intentionally increases the prices of many existing items and introduces new items at ridiculously high costs.

Many believe that this is to make Shark Cards more appealing to players, as the grinding aspect of the game can get quite frustrating after a while. In the long run, however, this only leads to long-time fans leaving GTA Online, as all the fun hits a paywall.

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5) Map expansions

GTA Online had its first map expansion with The Cayo Perico Heist update, which added the island of Cayo Perico to the game. However, the recent GTA 5 source code leak suggests that Rockstar had also planned on introducing Liberty City to the game at some point.

These canceled ideas could be explored further in the new game, as it gets too repetitive to keep playing in the same areas for over a decade. There are many massively multiplayer games that add map expansions over time, and Rockstar should follow suit.