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GTA Online made its debut back on October 1, 2013, on the PS3 and Xbox 360. It's still getting updates even nine years later. Needless to say, a lot has changed in this timespan. The metagame of 2013 was completely different from the one in 2022.
In fact, 2013 lacked:
- Any business property
- Heists
- Most weaponized vehicles like the Oppressor Mk II
- HSW vehicles
- Stunt Races
- Several guns like the Heavy Sniper Mk II
- The Diamond Casino & Resort
- A revised Suspension & Ban Policy
This era of GTA Online felt like a completely different game from the one that players see today.
What has changed in nine years since GTA Online first began?
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GTA Online is nearly a decade old now. One interesting detail about the game is that the first few years had way more "big" updates than the later years. However, these major updates were far smaller in terms of content in scale by comparison.
2013
The year that started it all. So many people were playing GTA 5 when it came out on September 17, 2022. It wouldn't be until a few weeks later when the online multiplayer came out. Some people were hyped for it, while others thought it would be left in the dust like GTA 4's online multiplayer.
However, that was not the case. Admittedly, there wasn't much to do at first since there were no heists, businesses, or anything else worthwhile. GTA Online players primarily had jobs to do, most notably deathmatches.
Here are some important changes in the updates introduced this year:
- The first update, which included new weapons, vehicles, and customization
- Content Creator
- Capture
It's also worth mentioning that GTA 5 received some of the content introduced in these updates. This trend will continue onward until 2015.
2014
The following year would introduce more content for players to enjoy, although not at the scale they are used to now. Here is some notable stuff that debuted this year:
- New vehicles in every update (which would be the norm for modern updates)
- Last Team Standing
- Flight School
2015
This year was the start of some significant changes to the GTA Online metagame. First and foremost, the Heists Update. Apart from the Hydra wreaking havoc upon its release, this update introduced several heists that players can do to grind for what was a crazy amount of money back then.
Some new content introduced this year includes:
- Heists
- The Hydra, among other vehicles
- Adversary Modes
- The last update for the PS3 and Xbox 360 (Ill-Gotten Gains Part 2)
- VIP/CEO Work
- Organizations
- Freemode Events and Challenges
2016
2016 is the year when players finally got to run businesses. Those unable to farm heists due to dealing with randoms all the time could now grind the new businesses to make some good money. New content this year included:
- Offices and Special Cargo
- Stunt Races
- Clubhouses and MC Businesses
- Vehicle Warehouses
2017
This year would continue to introduce more modern content that gamers know and love. Most notably, Bunkers and its associated Gunrunning business finally became available. Fans of heists would enjoy The Doomsday Heist, which included the futuristic Thruster, Stromberg, and Deluxo.
- Special Vehicle Stunt Races
- Bunkers
- Hangars
- The Doomsday Heist
- The Pariah, Thruster, Stromberg, and Deluxo, among other vehicles
2018
The most hated vehicle in GTA Online's history was introduced this year: the Oppressor Mk II. Apart from that, gamers got more content related to:
- Hotring Circuits
- Nightclubs
- Arena War
Both 2017 and 2018 helped divide the fanbase, as the futuristic elements clashed with the realism some gamers wanted. Not to mention, content like Arena War fell flat due to the lack of incentive to participate.
2019
The Diamond Casino & Resort was the main focus of 2019. Both updates revolved around it, albeit for entirely different reasons. The first update allowed players to visit the casino and gamble, as well as the ability to own a Master Penthouse.
The second one introduced The Diamond Casino Heist and Arcades. It's vital to mention that this year also set the new standard of two major updates per year.
2020
The first GTA Online update of 2020 was the Los Santos Summer Special, which was rather filler. However, the second update drastically changed the solo player's metagame. The Cayo Perico Heist was a heist that could be done solo.
Having the ability to earn over $1 million every hour was massive for a solo player. There wasn't a moneymaker quite like it, especially since it didn't involve any bug abuse.
2021
Auto Shops and Agencies were introduced this year. The former introduced:
- The LS Car Meet
- The ability to modify and deliver cars to clients
- Tuners
- Contracts
The Agency is a property that saw the return of Franklin, which predictably excited many gamers. Apart from playing as him and Lamar in some select missions, gamers also got a slew of other new content, such as Imani Tech and a new passive income method.
2022
As of the ninth anniversary of GTA Online, the only major update was The Criminal Enterprises. However, the next-gen update also happened this year. Here is a list of important content introduced in both updates:
- HSW vehicles
- Several buffs to moneymakers, including Nightclubs, Clubhouses, and most other heists
- Nerfs to the Oppressor Mk II and The Cayo Perico Heist
- GTA+
- Operation Paper Trail
Rockstar Games continues to update GTA Online weekly, and there haven't been any announcements of them stopping development any time soon.
