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GTA Online has all of the potential to be a game that lasts for a very long time.
Ignoring the obvious implications that nothing lasts forever, many video game companies aspire to make a timeless game that can generate a profit for as long as possible. When it comes to discussions about GTA Online's life, there are two schools of thought to consider.
First, one should think about how long it can make a profit for Rockstar Games. Second, they should think about how interesting will GTA Online will be in a few years from now. The answer to both questions isn't necessarily the same. As long as it's profitable though, there's no reason for GTA Online to end anytime soon.
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Will GTA Online last forever?
GTA Online has all the tools and resources necessary to be a game that can last for several generations to come. However, just because Rockstar Games can make the game last forever, doesn't mean that they will. At the end of the day, everything is about profits, especially in a game like GTA Online, where cost is a notable concern.
GTA Online's current legacy
As of right now, GTA Online is still one of the most played online games in the world. Between its console numbers and PC playerbase, it doesn't seem like GTA Online is going to slow down anytime soon.
As GTA Online is a free-to-play game (given the only requirement is that the player owns GTA 5), it has to earn money somewhere else. In GTA Online's case, they earn money through Shark Cards, a feature that essentially gives the player in-game money in exchange for real-life money.
Unsurprisingly, GTA Online has continued to make a tremendous profit. Typically, GTA Online peaks whenever there's a new major update, which also coincides with new items a player has to purchase. If several of these items cost a few million to purchase, then it's likely that some lazier players will just buy Shark Cards to get them right away.
GTA Online's sustainability
As the old adage goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." GTA Online has been around since 2013, and Rockstar Games isn't incompetent when it comes to the business side of things, so it's safe to assume that GTA Online is profitable in its current state.
A game's profitability is one of the most important and relevant aspects of its future. If GTA Online was a net negative for Rockstar Games, then they would shut it down. The less profitable it is, the more likely it will cease to exist. As it stands right now, GTA Online is in a good spot, financially speaking.
GTA Online's updates are sparse, meaning that Rockstar doesn't have to spend so much money on a frequent basis. With its current schedule being two major updates a year, Rockstar can focus on just those two updates. There are smaller updates from time to time, but they're hardly costly by comparison.
As long as GTA Online introduces content that makes players want to buy Shark Cards, then it should have no issue lasting as long as other online video game titans in the industry.
GTA Online's future
One of the big questions to ask oneself is whether or not GTA 6 will have an impact on GTA Online's future. It's not uncommon for players to complain endlessly about GTA Online getting in the way of GTA 6's development. However, the inverse can also be true if GTA 6 has its own online equivalent of GTA Online.
If GTA 6's online feature is better than GTA Online, then it would be obvious what would eventually happen to the latter game. Many players will migrate to the former game, which means it's likely that fewer people will spend on Shark Cards for the original GTA Online.
One way to circumvent that would be to combine GTA Online with whatever GTA 6's online mode could be. Alternatively, GTA 6 could choose to not include an online mode to make GTA Online still relevant. Whatever the case might be, GTA 6 will influence GTA Online's future in one way or another.
GTA Online updates
Given GTA Online's current success, it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that it will continue having updates as the years go on. 2020 was a fantastic year for GTA Online, so Rockstar is likely planning something to capitalize on its massive success.
Once the updates start rolling in, players will likely spend more money, and the cycle will continue.
