Rockstar recently put out an update teasing changes to come for Grand Theft Auto Online including some changes to its criminal careers. Many fans of the developer and its open world games are eagerly awaiting news on the release of Grand Theft Auto 6, and rumors about that long-anticipated title are only growing more common the longer Rockstar goes without providing concrete info.
In the midst of this anticipation, however, fan support for Rockstar's ongoing online games remains strong as well. Unfortunately, sometimes this fan support is stronger than the support from the actual developer. For years fans have bemoaned the lack of attention shown by Rockstar to Red Dead Online, the multiplayer component to the beloved Red Dead Redemption 2. The game has gone so long without substantial content updates from Rockstar that most fans now view the multiplayer experience as essentially an abandoned game, even going so far as to hold a funeral for Red Dead Online following a year of particularly bad updates. This dissatisfaction has extended to GTA Online to some extent as well; some even consider making money in the game to have become a boring chore.
Rockstar recently acknowledged fans' continued support of these online titles, and shared a blog post on the Rockstar Games website to outline upcoming changes for the titles. While the post was relatively light on specific details, it did promise some significant changes coming to Grand Theft Auto Online in the coming weeks. Chief among these are expansions to some of GTA Online's criminal careers: Executive, Biker, Gunrunner, and Nightclub Owner. Rockstar is also planning a series of contract missions which will let players investigate a criminal conspiracy on behalf of the IAA. A few balance changes, including nerfs to the infamous Oppressor vehicle and a more convenient way to access snacks and armor, are also planned.
As promising as these updates sound for GTA Online, the update also came with bad news for Red Dead Online. Rockstar admitted that development of Grand Theft Auto 6 has gotten in the way of ongoing support for the online Wild West experience, and the plans outlined for that game are much more scant than what's scheduled for GTA Online. As hotly anticipated as GTA 6 is, the news that the game is actively hurting support for Red Dead Online will likely be a bitter pill for players to swallow.
As one of the most prominent developers in the industry, Rockstar Games has a lot on its plate. It's understandable that some projects, like GTA Online and Red Dead Online, might fall by the wayside during the development of major titles like GTA 6. Acknowledging the fans who still play and enjoy these titles is a nice gesture on Rockstar's part, but time will tell how the updates it has promised will fare with those fans. While things look bleak for RDO players, GTA Online fans at least seem to have some substantial content to look forward to.
Source: Rockstar/Twitter, Rockstar Games