Rockstar Confirms Grand Theft Auto Online Microtransactions

Optional purchases will offer upgrades for players who “wish to get them a little quicker.”

Rockstar has announced new details about Grand Theft Auto Online, including confirmation of the microtransactions rumored earlier this week.
In a post on Rockstar Newswire, Rockstar explained that “if you’re the completely instant gratification type, you can choose to buy denominations of GTA$. You will have the option to purchase GTA$ through the in-game Store. The game and its economy have been designed and balanced for the vast majority of players who will not buy extra cash. There is no in-game paywall and nothing that should disrupt the balance of the game. You don’t have to spend real money to attain the cars, guns, clothes, flash and style of a high-roller in Los Santos, but can if you wish to get them a little quicker.”
Rockstar added that “the economy is balanced differently from the single player economy, and cash earned in one cannot be taken over to the other. Most players will earn cash much faster Online than in Story Mode.” It also explained GTA Online's Reputation system, noting "Reputation is earned from all your online exploits in everything you do in GTA Online – and will help you rank up, providing access to new features, weapons and criminal contacts. Spend cash you’ve gained on cars, clothes, guns, properties and much more. You can either quickly accumulate cash through profitable activities like knocking over armored cars, winning street races, doing stick-ups or a host of other cash-making endeavors."

Rockstar also warned fans of some “growing pains” once GTA Online goes live, noting, “there will be the typical growing pains for an online game, including but not limited to crashes, glitches, crazy bugs, gameplay modes and mechanics that need re-balancing and other surprises! Even in GTAV Story Mode, some of you may have seen a few odd and even amusing little glitches out there last week. This sort of thing is inevitable in a massive open-world game and there’ll surely be lots more unexpected oddities like this in the Online world next week – rest assured we’ll be monitoring and actively doing all we can to smooth such things out as they happen, but we need your help to find them, as well as your feedback to help fine tune all of the game's systems so everything is perfectly balanced.”
Rockstar reiterated that up to 16 GTA Online players will be able to participate in open world exploration (“catch a movie, go mountain biking, hit the shooting range and much more”) as well as jobs, races and sports. Players will also be able to create a character with the character creator, “then earn some cash and spend it getting dressed for success. You can also collect and customize cars for your garage and personalize your full weapons cache.”

The following content updates are also planned following the launch of GTA Online:

• Content Creator - “Tools to tailor and publish your own Deathmatches & Races.”
• Beach Bum Pack - “4 new amazing beach fun vehicles, over 300 new items of incredible down tempo leisure wear and 2 new but not remotely relaxing weapons.”
• Capture The Flag - “GTA Online’s take on the classic CTF mode including the ability to make your own using The Content Creator.”
• Heists - “This update will introduce full-on cooperative Heist missions that will require careful planning, teamwork and sharp execution – along with the Heist Planning Board for your apartment.”

Rockstar confirmed that all of the updates will be free, and additional info will be coming “as our plans develop through the launch period, and as we get feedback from you.”
Grand Theft Auto Online will launch on October 1st. For much more, read our hands-on impressions, plus check out everything we know about GTA Online in our GTA 5 wiki.

Grand Theft Auto V

Published by: Rockstar Games

Developed by: Rockstar North

Genre: Third-Person Action

Release Date:

United States: September 17, 2013

Japan: September 17, 2013

UK: September 17, 2013

Australia: September 17, 2013

M for Mature : Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Major Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol

Also Available On: Xbox 360

Also known as: GTA 5