Summary
The online component ofGrand Theft Auto 6will be purchasable separately at launch, according to a well-known leaker. This claim suggests thatGTA 6will mark a notable departure from how Rockstar typically handles its AAA game launches.
Rockstar has been radio-silent about its much-anticipated open-world action adventure ever sincepremiering the firstGTA 6trailerin December 2023. The game itself was announced with a 2025 release window, but no details have been given about its editions or pricing.
Some information on this front has now been shared byRockstar insider Tez2. The long-time leaker recently claimed that theGTA 6online mode will be purchasable separately at launch. This is said to be an optional offering catering to consumers who are only interested in the game’s live-service component. Conversely, fans who are only interested in the single-player mode won’t be able to buy it separately from its online counterpart, Tez2said.
GTA 6 Might Break Rockstar’s Long-Time Release Tradition
BothRed Dead OnlineandGTA Onlineare already sold separatelynowadays. However, neither of these standalone live-service games launched alongside their single-player counterparts.Red Dead Onlinebecame available for purchase separately in December 2020, more than two years followingRed Dead Redemption 2’s release. Meanwhile, Rockstar has only been offeringGTA Onlineas a standalone purchase since March 2022, approximately six months ahead ofGTA 5’s ninth anniversary. LaunchingGTA 6 Onlineseparately from the base game on day one would thus mark a notable departure from how Rockstar handled its AAA releases in the past.
This purported move could be interpreted as yet another indicator of Rockstar’s ever-strengthening focus on live-service games. Despite pushing 12,GTA 5is still selling incredibly well, not least because of its never-ending stream of content updates and a healthy player community, which makeGTA Onlineas fun as it ever was. OfferingGTA 6’s online mode as a separate purchase from day one would be one way for Rockstar to boost the early momentum of the game’s live-service component, ensuring that it gets off to a strong start.
A standalone version ofGTA 6 Onlinewould naturally be more affordable than the complete package. But what that means in terms of concrete figures is currently unclear, especially since there has recently been a lot of speculation aboutGTA 6potentially launching at an above-market price. The game itself is expected to have multiple editions, even without accounting for the rumored online-only release. For reference,Red Dead Redemption 2andGrand Theft Auto 5launched with three editions each.
Grand Theft Auto 6
WHERE TO PLAY
Grand Theft Auto VI heads to the state of Leonida, home to the neon-soaked streets of Vice City and beyond in the biggest, most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet.Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.
