GTA Online will be sold separately from GTA 6, according to insider reports, raising speculation about its pricing and future features.
With Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) set for a 2025 release, new leaks suggest that GTA Online will be sold separately, meaning players might have to purchase it as an independent product rather than receiving it bundled with the base game. This revelation has sparked debates about Rockstar Games’ pricing strategy and how it could affect players.
Leak Suggests GTA Online Will Be Sold Separately from GTA 6
According to insider Tez2, Rockstar is planning to sell GTA Online separately from GTA 6, similar to how they later released GTA 5 Online as a standalone game in 2022. This means players who purchase GTA 6 may not get immediate access to GTA Online 2 unless Rockstar offers a bundle option or a free multiplayer mode.
The source further suggests that this move is part of Rockstar’s long-term strategy to sustain GTA Online as a live-service game. This will allow it to evolve independently of the main story-driven experience in GTA 6, while story mode will be part of the full package.
Pricing and Microtransaction Concerns
The biggest concern among fans is pricing. While GTA 6 is already expected to have a premium price tag of $70 or more, separating GTA Online 2 could mean additional costs for players.
Some insiders have speculated that Rockstar might charge a lower price for the standalone multiplayer version, or alternatively, they could make it free-to-play, relying on Shark Card sales and microtransactions to generate revenue. However, if Rockstar decides to charge full price for both GTA 6 and GTA Online 2, it could push the total cost well over $100, which has already caused concern among potential buyers.
Tez2 on GTAForums said:
Yep. In addition, R*/T2 already sell GTAO & RDO separately, but VI will be the first game where online is sold separately at launch, while story mode will be part of the full package that covers both. They will have to factor the online standalone price into the total cost. What portion of the base price will be the online's price? And what would be the story mode upgrade price for those who've bought the online standalone?
T2 could benefit by pricing the online standalone lower, making it accessible for those who can't afford the $70 or $80 price. Eventually, those players will upgrade to access the story mode, so that's a win-win for them. This also opens an opportunity, some players may be eager to access the story mode but can't afford the upgrade price too. That's when they could slide in GTA+, and offer Game Pass-like access. They'll net extra profits from players who keep subscribing instead of saving for the upgrade. Another win-win for T2.
The win for us is if the online standalone is priced as low as it can be and factored into the total cost, the game could be sold at the standard $70 instead of a higher price.
Well, if Rockstar follows through with this plan, GTA 6 players who only want the single-player experience may benefit, as the game won’t have resources dedicated to integrating online features at launch. However, those who enjoy both single-player and multiplayer may have to make an additional purchase, depending on Rockstar’s pricing model.
Additionally, separating GTA Online 2 could allow more frequent updates, improved servers, and better in-game economy management, as Rockstar can develop and maintain the game independently of GTA 6’s story updates.
Overall, the leak claiming GTA Online will be sold separately from GTA 6 has raised questions about how Rockstar plans to monetize its flagship franchise. But as GTA 6 is set for release in 2025, Rockstar is expected to reveal more details about GTA Online 2 in the coming months. Until then, fans can only speculate on what this means for the future of Grand Theft Auto’s multiplayer experience.
