GTA Online’s latest event adds a highly requested feature to the game, but locks it behind a paywall. Read on to learn more about the feature, how much it costs, and what others are saying about it.
GTA Online Locks Quality-of-Life Feature Behind a Paywall
Requires GTA+ to Use
For those who were able to play GTA Online before, you would know that one of the annoyances of playing the game was collecting the payout from your multiple businesses. But with GTA Online’s latest event and update, that annoyance goes away if you pay the price. Bottom Dollar Bounties is GTA Online's latest event and update, featuring new missions, cars, and most especially, bounties. The update also introduces the new Vinewood Club app on the player’s in-game phone.
Rockstar explains that the app lets you "easily request vehicles, claim all outstanding business safe earnings, and replenish ammo on your in-game phone." This, however, comes at a price, as only GTA+ Members can use the exclusive in-game app. For those who are unfamiliar, GTA+ is a monthly subscription membership service that grants multiple benefits, like in-game cash, special discounts on in-game items, in-game boosts, the aforementioned Vinewood Club app, and more, to those who are willing to pay the $8 fine.
Fans and Players Aren’t Happy
- [1]Screenshot taken from Reddit
To no one’s surprise, fans and players alike are not happy with the news. The feature of being able to collect payments from your businesses without having to go there physically has been requested for a very long time. Locking this highly requested feature in a monthly subscription for a ten-year old game is already very questionable.
While a monthly subscription is bad enough, what makes it even worse is that the subscription is only available for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S players only, which means previous gen players and PC players can’t even avail of the subscription. Similarly, this also comes with the recent announcement of the Rockstar Editor being removed from previous gen consoles as well.
In the r/gtaonline subreddit, fans are expressing their frustration towards the update, with some users saying,"Should be a default feature," wrote user Affectionate-Run2275 and "Ugh why the hell lock this feature behind a subscription. This would be amazing for everyone." said VanitasFan26. Others are expressing their annoyance that this will carry over to GTA 6 as well, with users posting, "Lol can’t wait till GTA6 online where you get almost nothing without GTA+" says bananaboogieboard03 and J0NICS saying, "Man, theyre gonna have a field day locking shit up behind gta+ on VI Online."
GTA Online has been around for more than a decade now and is documented to be Rockstar’s biggest money maker since its inception. Successful would be an understatement to describe how profitable GTA Online has been for Rockstar and Take-Two, and it’s safe to say that these monetization practices will continue for the highly anticipated GTA 6. One can only hope that you won’t have to pay for a monthly subscription just to be able to play online on top of the price of the full game.
Source:
GTA Online: Bottom Dollar Bounties Out Now
GTA Online just locked a quality-of-life feature players have wanted for ages behind the GTA+ paywall, and fans worry it sets a dangerous precedent for GTA 6
GTA Online adds a quality-of-life feature players have wanted for years then upsets everyone by paywalling it: 'One of the slimiest things they've done in a while'
[1] Reddit Thread | GTA+ members can now claim business earnings from their character’s phone
