Grand Theft Auto 5, along with its intensely popular multiplayer mode Grand Theft Auto Online, has redefined the expectations of success and long-term relevancy within the video game industry. The game has now seen individual releases across three generations of consoles, typifying the unheard of demand and playerbase that the title still commands to this day.
With Grand Theft Auto Online recently receiving its very own standalone release for the latest generation of consoles, it is clear that the lucrative online mode is at the very forefront of Rockstar's vision and roadmap of the seemingly ever-present Grand Theft Auto 5. To further compound this fact, Rockstar recently surprised fans by announcing the launch of a monthly subscription service for GTA Online by the name of GTA+, which offers subscribers a slew of in-game benefits within the online sandbox of GTA Online.
The Success of Grand Theft Auto Online
Originally launching for the PS3 and Xbox 360 in September 2013, Grand Theft Auto 5 shattered what fans could expect from the GTA franchise. The attention to detail and innovative three-protagonist story helped Grand Theft Auto 5 become the best-selling title of all time in 2017, although this is a title that has since been claimed by the equally gargantuan Minecraft.
An unintended but palpable level of success, however, was also present within the game's online mode. Simply titled Grand Theft Auto Online, the multiplayer mode of GTA 5 has grown to rival various other high-profile games within the highly competitive market of multiplayer games. Bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars in profit via microtransactions every year, the community-driven success of GTA Online is why it has become the focal point of Rockstar's ongoing development in recent years.
With the aforementioned standalone release of Grand Theft Auto Online for the Xbox Series X/S and the PlayStation 5, fans should expect a plenty of content to be released for the title in coming years, despite its already norm-defying lifespan. One of the primary justifications for this new standalone release, it seems, is the introduction of the brand-new GTA+ service.
The Basics of GTA+
GTA+ promises to be an exclusive subscription-based service for players on the latest generation of consoles. The service is a first for the GTA franchise, and is relatively unusual for contemporary titles in general, with the more commonplace "battlepass" form of service being the preferred revenue method of many other big-name games.
The subscription works on a monthly basis, with a fresh batch of attractive in-game benefits coming with each month. Despite this, the announcement of GTA+ has not gone down well with many Grand Theft Auto fans, who cite the vested nature of the subscription service as compounding the increasingly pay-to-win nature of the online game. At only $5.99 per month, the service is relatively accessible, although the outrage of many fans is understandable, given the level of benefits and subsequent advantages that subscribers will have over regular players.
As a standard, the subscription service sees players receive $500,000 of in-game currency every month, which can subsequently be spent on many of the extravagant ventures available to players in GTA Online. The additional benefits available to subscribing players each month can range from many things, including exclusive discounts and vehicle upgrades, RP boosts, and much more.
The Released Benefits of GTA+'s First Month
GTA+ is set to launch on March 29, and promises to bring with it an attractive slew of "exclusive benefits." As previously mentioned, paying subscribers will instantly have access to a redeemable $500,000 of in-game currency, which will be a constant mainstay of available benefits for every subsequent month of GTA+.
The first listed benefit for this premiere month of GTA+ is access to the Principe Deveste Eight vehicle, accompanied by exclusive access to a complimentary Hao's Special Works upgrade for the sporty hypercar that is not yet available for non-subscribing players. In addition to this, players will also have access to the HSW Orange Trip and HSW CMYK Glitch liveries for the car.
Another vehicular benefit that subscribers will see is access to a new Auto Shop located in the La Mesa area of Los Santos. This brings with it an assortment of new updates from Los Santos Tuners, based around car meets and higher detail of car customization. Players will be able to relocate their Auto Shop to La Mesa at no additional cost, should they already have one.
Speaking of the newly-introduced and popular LS Car Meet feature within GTA Online, the first month of GTA+ will see the expensive membership fees of LS Car Meet waived, with existing members being reimbursed up to $50,000 in-game dollars as a form of compensation. Smaller but still notable vehicle-related benefits include access to the Conveyer livery for the Mammoth Avenger, HVY APC, and TM-02 Khanjali vehicles, as well as an array of new paints and emblems that will become available for free to subscribers within the Auto Shop.
One of the most attractive benefits offered with this upcoming month is the ability for subscribers to update their yachts to the Aquarius Super Yacht at no additional cost. With the Aquarius being the most expensive yacht at $8,000,000, the free upgrade truly is one of the more alluring benefits within GTA+. In-game clothing benefits are also an included factor with GTA+, with this first upcoming month providing access to Gusset Frog Tee and Broker Prolaps Basketball Top and Shorts for paying subscribers.
The final available set of benefits available with the upcoming month are related to increased multipliers for RP and currency. Subscribers will see an impressive 3X boost to both money and RP within the Hao’s Special Works Race Series, as well as a respectable 2X increase to Car Meet Rep within the Street Race Series of GTA Online.
Grand Theft Auto Online is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.