5 things that GTA Online still lacks in 2024

While Grand Theft Auto 5's story mode was left in the dark in the last 10 years, Rockstar Games released countless DLCs and updates for its multiplayer mode, GTA Online. There are many things in the latter that players enjoy, like running businesses, executing heists, driving fast cars, and flying weaponized jets. However, there are still a few crucial things that it lacks.

It's hard to say that the game has suffered from their absence, given its success, but their inclusion could have made it even better. With that said, let's look at five things that Grand Theft Auto Online still lacks in 2024.

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Michael De Santa DLC and 4 other things GTA Online still lacks in 2024

1) Map expansions

Map expansions are one of the things that would have helped in keeping GTA Online fresh over the years. Players have been roaming the streets of Los Santos and Blaine County for the last decade and haven't seen any significant changes.

While there were new additions in the form of Diamond Casino and Cayo Perico Island, the former is just one building, and the latter cannot be explored in Freemode without using glitches. And with GTA 6's release on the horizon, albeit in 2025, Rockstar adding a brand new and always accessible area to the map seems very unlikely.

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2) Cross-Play

Grand Theft Auto Online is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X/S, and PC. Unfortunately, the game still lacks the Cross-Play feature. For those unaware, this option allows users on different platforms to interact with each other in the same online session.

Oddly enough, Cross-Play isn't even available between successive generations of PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Although this isn't a game-breaking issue, the lack of it seems odd, especially when PC and console cross-platform interaction is allowed even in highly competitive titles like Call Of Duty.

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3) Michael De Santa DLC

Michael De Santa is one of Grand Theft Auto 5's three protagonists and is highly popular among fans of the series. He is arguably the primary lead character out of all three. Nevertheless, Michael is yet to debut in GTA Online, despite many clamoring for a Michael DLC for years.

This is even more perplexing, considering the other two protagonists have long debuted in the multiplayer. Trevor Philips offers some Contact Missions, and Franklin Clinton arrived in 2021 with the Agency business.

Rockstar is expected to release a few more DLCs before GTA 6 releases, but it isn't known if Michael will return in any of them.

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4) Accessible restaurants

One of the features that GTA 5 lacks from previous titles in the series is accessible restaurants. Although fast-food outlets like Cluckin' Bell and Burger Shot are present in the open world, none of them are accessible, not even any street food vendors.

The problem also plagues its multiplayer, GTA Online. While players can buy and consume snacks to gain health, the lack of proper restaurants negatively impacts immersion. Their exclusion was already strange, but the fact that restaurants haven't been added even a decade later is worse.

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5) Ranked Lobbies

One of the biggest issues with GTA Online is the absence of a ranked lobby system. Because of this, beginners can join an online session with players many ranks above them, making them an easy target. The highly inflated economy and less-than-desirable payouts already make it a challenging game for newcomers. But the fact that they can be grieved easily by those in possession of powerful and expensive firearms or weaponized vehicles makes it even tougher.

Missions being allowed to be completed in Invite Only sessions has solved this to some extent. However, it also robs players of a multiplayer experience, which is the main purpose of Grand Theft Auto Online.

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