Two of the most popular games in the world are Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Online, the multiplayer components of Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, respectively. Rockstar Games makes absurd amounts of money from these games and their microtransactions, but the company will be temporarily shutting them down today, June 4, as a sign of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and to honor George Floyd.
Rockstar Games made the announcement on Twitter, confirming that GTA Online and Red Dead Online will be down from 2:00-4:00pm ET. This means that fans of the games won't be able to access their online services at all for about two hours today. Of course, the single-player portions will still be fully accessible to all players.
The announcement has received a mixed response from fans on Twitter, with some applauding Rockstar for the gesture, and others criticizing the company for what they perceive to be "virtue signaling." In any case, Rockstar Games is far from the only video game company to indicate its support for the Black Lives Matter movement and the mass protests that are occurring in literally every state in the US as well as other countries around the world.
The protests in the United States have seen other game companies voice their support for the movement. This includes all three of the big console manufacturers, as well as a number of other developers and publishers. Many companies have also donated money to racial injustice charities, with EA donating $1 million and The Pokemon Company donating $200,000.
Companies have also pushed back Summer Game Fest presentations and in-game events to avoid being distractions from the Black Live Matters conversation. Perhaps most notably, Sony delayed the PS5 game reveal event to an undetermined later date due to the protests. The PC Gaming Show and Future Games Show have also been delayed.
As far as in-game events go, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare delayed Season 4, and Fortnite delayed the start of Season 3. Other video games have followed suit, putting off big events and updates.
Fans of Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Online can expect online services to resume at 4:00pm ET.