Rockstar Games has been updating its online titles as much of the world shelters at home and avoids large gatherings due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.Red Dead Onlinerecently offeredbonus XP for Traders and Moonshinersfor example, and a new event was unveiled inGrand Theft Auto: Onlinethat some might argue hits a little too close to home given the circumstances.
On April 23,GTA Onlinewas updated with six new contact missions under the umbrella “Gerald’s Last Play.” Gerald is a drug dealer who works for The Families in Los Santos,Grand Theft Auto’s equivalent of Los Angeles, who is referenced inGTA 5but only appears inGTA Online. The missions focus on helping him “score big while ensuring his drug-dealing and other criminal endeavors go smoothly” as an impending downturn in black markets causes a rise in gang activity, according to Rockstar.
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On top of the six new missions; Make Ends Meat, Go Figure, Fast Peddling, Deal With It, Bad Companies, and End Product,GTA Onlinefans can get double the Reputation Points (RP) and GTA$ by completing tasks while playing through April 29. These new additions come after Rockstar brought back theAlien Survival Series and Peyote Plantsin order to give players extra content amid worldwide shutdowns of businesses, schools, and more.
Though it’s likely the developers have been working on Gerald’s Last Play for some time given how much content it includes, the timing of this addition of a recession-focused storyline might not sit well with those affected by those aforementioned shutdowns and the delay of entertainment productions likeParamount’sMission Impossible 7and8. Fears of a real-world recession have arisen after oil prices in the U.S. went negative last week according to news sites like CNBC.
However, others will undoubtedly argue that the uncertainty of current global affairs makes this a perfect time for video game developers to release content like Gerald’s Last Play as a distraction.GTA Onlinehas also pushed for added security byoffering free moneyto players who activate two-step verification.
At the same time as Rockstar has been updating events inGTA OnlineandRed Dead Online, rumors continue to circulate about the developer’s next venture. Based on various rumors it is believed thatGrand Theft Auto 6may be in the works, though it’s uncertain when fans can expect to hear more about it.
Grand Theft Auto: Onlineis available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
