GTA Online goes live post-GTA 5 launch, Rockstar explains

Following the reveal of Grand Theft Auto Online, Rockstar has explained why the multiplayer component of the game is only going live two weeks after the release of GTA 5, despite being bundled with it.

“We want to give people an opportunity to actually get their heads around what’s happened, because even single-player is a big advancement from the old games. There’s a lot of new things to learn,” said Rockstar North Leslie Benzies.

“We want it to be known as a different entity, a separate thing, and it’ll grow on its own. It’ll be GTA Online; it’s not part of GTA V,” added Benzies. “Obviously it’s set in the GTA V engine, but it’s going to grow and evolve into its own thing.”

Two weeks following the release of GTA V, a “tiny download” will unlock access to Online. In your character switch wheel, a new tab will now be opened, and “instead of choosing Franklin, Michael, or Trevor, you’ll select your multiplayer character and you’ll be sucked straight in there,” Benzies explained.

Benzies also explained that Grand Theft Auto Online’s user-generated creation tools will be relased incremently, giving players increasingly complex tools as they learn how to use them.

“When we feel comfortable that people are ready to get the new creators, they will be released. So it’ll be a trickle, but it’ll be a constant release of new creators and new content. We don’t want to overdo it. It’s a complex system. That’s another reason for the two week delay between single-player and Online.”