Grand Theft Auto Online already has a reputation for being riddled with microtransactions, and rumors of a mobile port could make the issue even worse. While GTA Online has benefited from plenty of attention from Rockstar, the game's inflated economy and Shark Card microtransactions have long been a sticking point for players. Mobile games suffer from pay-to-win mechanics more than most other games, so any version of GTA Online made for mobile devices would likely have an even bigger Shark Card problem than it does on consoles.
Mobile gaming in itself has a bit of a reputation for being a money sink, especially when applied to gacha games. While one can assume that a mobile port of GTA Online would not change much about gameplay aside from what is necessary to make the game run on mobile, there are still concerns about how it would be handled. With a mobile port of GTA Online seeming inevitable after Take-Two - the company that owns Rockstar - acquired Zynga, these concerns could become reality. If more microtransactions were added, the game could easily fall into a downward spiral.
Regarding GTA Online's existing microtransactions, players can buy Shark Cards that will reward them with in-game currency. These range from Red Shark cards worth $2.99 for 100,000 GTA dollars, up to Megalodon Shark cards that cost $99.99 in exchange for 8,000,000 GTA dollars. Many players have complained about the pay-to-win nature of Shark Cards, and how they give those who use them an advantage over players who earn money through missions and games. In essence, Shark Card users can immediately buy nice cars, houses, and weapons without having to earn the money through missions. This has led to GTA Online's economy inflating massively, which has, in turn, led to gameplay becoming a repetitive grind in many aspects.
GTA Online's Shark Cards Would Be Worse On Mobile
If a mobile port of GTA Online does come to fruition, there is little doubt that the Shark Cards will come with it. New players who don't want to wait to buy really good things in-game will be drawn to the Shark Cards, and players of previous versions of the game who don't want to play without all of their premium gear from before will also want to use them. The gap between card users and non-users would already be forming as soon as the game launches. Halo Infinite's season 1 microtransactions shocked many of its players, and newcomers to GTA Online would likely feel similarly about Shark Cards. If GTA Online for mobile added further microtransactions, non-card users would feel more alienated, and could potentially leave it altogether, as has been the case for many players who used to log into the console and PC versions of the game.
This could easily become a problem for GTA Online, because a significant portion of the customer base has a distaste for games that seem to exist to keep drawing money out of players. Many players do not want to keep paying for a game after they have already bought it, and frown upon microtransactions for that reason. Godfall's trailer touted its lack of microtransactions, showing that no microtransactions is now a selling point for many. Considering this, rampant use of Shark Cards could lead to fewer sales of the mobile port. Even with players buying Shark Cards and other offers, a more limited player base would eventually catch up to them. If the issue expands too far, a mobile expansion may turn out to be a failure.
Take-Two still hasn't confirmed the existence of GTA Online on mobile, but given other recent mobile ports of franchises like Call of Duty, it seems likely. It is difficult to discern how exactly Rockstar and Take-Two can prevent a potential GTA Online from failing due to Shark Cards. Microtransactions have been a part of GTA 5's multiplayer for a long time, and they don't seem to be going anywhere. GTA Online is still going strong for now, but the developers would be wise to make sure that its success remains sustainable.