Should Rockstar release a GTA Online ban wave after the latest Los Santos Tuners update?

The worst thing that can happen to a GTA Online player is their account getting permanently banned. At present, it seems as though this might happen to a lot of players in the game since the Los Santos Tuners update.

Several reports have been coming in from regular players claiming that their accounts have received a ban. Some players believe this was bound to happen, with the rampant cheating and hacking going on in GTA Online.

The problem has been especially noticeable on PCs, and many devoted players have quit the game permanently. There have also been countless complaints about the failure of the anti-hacking measures present in the game.

Recent rumors of a ban wave may be a step taken by Rockstar to combat hacking. However, this won't be the first time that GTA Online is seeing a ban wave.

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GTA Online: Should a ban wave be implemented after the recent Los Santos Tuners update?

Is the ban wave real?

The ban wave rumors began to circulate when a popular TikTok video claimed that Rockstar Games is planning a ban wave for players who utilized car duplication, frozen money, and save wizard glitches.

Naturally, this had many players panicking, and they flocked to social media to verify the legitimacy of the claims. Many players claimed they'd already been banned, while others dismissed the scenario entirely as fake.

Rockstar has not made any statements regarding an upcoming or ongoing ban wave in GTA Online. Thus, there is no certainty of the rumors being true at the moment.

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Should a ban wave be taking place?

Here is what the official Rockstar Games support page has to say regarding bans in GTA Online:

"GTA Online suspensions are triggered by a number of factors, including modding in GTA Online, exploiting or abusing game mechanics, manipulating protected game data and code, or interfering with other players’ gameplay experience."

Here is a tweet from a player who was banned for apparently no reason:

Good Morning Rockstar support I got banned today while I was racing with my frnds in GTA online I never modded and I never voilated the game policy please un ban me my Its my fav. game to play with my frnds please unban me SC ID: Dastan_Jr @RockstarSupport @RockstarGames pic.twitter.com/2oOrinCTti

— Subhadeep Das (@Subhade43899602) July 21, 2021

Another similar tweet:

@RockstarGames what the fuck I have just been banned from GTA Online for a month for no fucking reason, wtf is this shit. I have invested multiple hundred hours into this game and now you ban we???? Fuck you guys, fuck you

— Max Hoffmann (Naruti Classic S4 suchten) (@MaxTec14) July 21, 2021

Some feel that the ban wave would be very satisfying, as this would make the game free of cheaters:

Considering how broken the anti-cheat system is in GTA Online, it is difficult to ascertain if the bans are justified or not. In case an innocent player gets banned from the game, there is no way to appeal against the decision, as Rockstar clearly states:

"All GTA Online suspension and banning decisions are final and may not be appealed."

Even something as innocuous as exploiting a glitch in the game can land a permanent ban on GTA Online. Due to these stringent rules, some players began panicking since hackers could have transferred modded money to their accounts. This issue, however, does not land the player in trouble.

If the bans are accurate and justified, they should satisfy most GTA Online players. Players invest a lot of time and effort, and sometimes even money in the game, and hackers ruin the experience for everyone.