Xbox 360 PS3

Grand Theft Auto Online

ShooterAdventure

Time to beat: about 55 hours

Overview

Grand Theft Auto Online is an online multiplayer action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It was released on 1 October 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, 18 November 2014 for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, 14 April 2015 for Windows, and 15 March 2022 for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The game is the online component of Grand Theft Auto V. Set within the fictional state of San Andreas (based on Southern California), Grand Theft Auto Online allows up to 30 players to explore its open world environment and engage in cooperative or competitive game modes.

The open-world design lets players freely roam San Andreas, which includes an open countryside and the fictional city of Los Santos (based on Los Angeles). Players control a customisable silent protagonist in their journey to become a powerful criminal, slowly building an empire as they complete tasks from various non-playable characters, many of them returning from the single-player mode. Set both months before and years after the single-player campaign, Grand Theft Auto Online comprises cooperative missions where multiple players complete tasks to advance the narrative. The game also features numerous side activities and events, including the more elaborate "Heists", and various businesses that players can purchase and manage.

Developed in tandem with the single-player mode, Grand Theft Auto Online was conceived as a separate experience to be played in a continually evolving world. At launch, it suffered widespread technical issues resulting in the inability to play missions and loss of character data. It initially polarised reviewers, being criticised for its lack of direction and repetitive missions, with praise particularly directed at the scope and open-ended gameplay. It won divided year-end accolades, ranging from Biggest Disappointment to Best Multiplayer, from several gaming publications. The game receives frequent free updates that further expand on the game modes and content, which has improved critical reception. The 2015 Heists update was especially well received by critics.