Why the Criminal Enterprises DLC for GTA Online is the best update in decades

The latest major update to GTA Online, the Criminal Enterprises, is a change that has Grand Theft Auto fans around the world talking, but most importantly, it has given fans hope. Each update has changes that are welcome, but fans just seem to grow more and more frustrated.

This latest series of changes has perhaps gone a long way in giving hope that the game will continue to improve through the next few years. While there have easily been more than 40 major updates to the game, Criminal Enterprises certainly stands out from the rest of the pack.

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GTA Online’s developers are finally listening to their fans

The content itself is just one of the reasons why GTA Online’s latest update is easily the best the game has to offer. For example, being able to run a casino or nightclub is a huge change to the game, and even players that aren’t particularly rich can participate.

While it’s not one of the biggest changes to the game, it allows for more flexibility and in-world activities, and that’s never a bad thing for an online game. It’s not a difficult activity to start either, and it’s nice to see this, alongside other minor changes like more cosmetics for female characters.

But why is this so important? It’s because the developers are finally listening to the fans, or at least, that’s how it appears in this update. This is something fans have been after for a while now, and hopefully, that becomes a trend going forward.

It’s not the only fan-requested change that was added in this particular update. Fans also wanted nerfs to the powerful Oppressor Mk II flying motorcycle. It has now lost effectiveness on its homing missiles, but it also has longer cooldowns and other changes.

There are some changes that seem small from the outset that are actually huge game-changers. The ability to equip armor and eat snacks via shortcuts is another very popular feature. Players no longer have to try and navigate a bunch of menus in the middle of a heated firefight.

Now it’s just a button press to open the wheel and select the desired item. This is a feature that fans have been struggling with for over a decade, and the problem has finally been solved.

In addition, a player's Kill/Death ratio isn’t affected by kills in Freemode, only when playing in competitive modes. This gives players fewer incentives to troll and harass others. While it’s not going to completely stop trolls in GTA Online, it could certainly do a lot of heavy lifting going forward.

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Online gameplay became a lot safer after the Criminal Enterprises update

Arguably the most important changes are the steps taken to prevent toxic players from ruining the experience of casual players in GTA Online. Now, the majority of business activities can be done in invite-only lobbies. When players want to complete things like Sell Missions, they can just invite the friends they want to play with and won’t have to worry about one rogue player ruining everything.

It’s not uncommon for online games to have players who spend all their time ripping off, harassing, or griefing others, and Grand Theft Online is no exception. It’s true that this isn’t going to stop players from giving each other a hard time, but it is definitely a step forward.

This doesn’t mean that there’s no purpose to Public Sessions. To make it worthwhile, the developers have offered increased bonuses for people who want to risk working with strangers in business activities.

Another great change that players have requested is to receive more money. Criminal Enterprises has increased the payout for a large number of activities, making it easier to acquire vast fortunes in the game. Races will pay out 50% more on average, for example. Heists have reduced fees and offer more money, making the mode more viable and lucrative.

Suddenly, it’s far more worthwhile to be a criminal and engage in shady behavior. While this doesn’t mean GTA Online fans have anything to be frustrated about anymore, it certainly hints that some positive changes are on the way.