GTA Online set to become unplayable for millions in 2024
Rockstar Games could be making Grand Theft Auto Online unplayable for millions of players in 2024, with the title's PC requirements potentially locking them out.
31st Oct 2023 15:57
Images via Rockstar Games
GTA Online set to become unplayable for millions in 2024
Rockstar Games could be making Grand Theft Auto Online unplayable for millions of players in 2024, with the title's PC requirements potentially locking them out.
31st Oct 2023 15:57
Images via Rockstar Games
It looks like the end is nigh for some of you, as you might be locked out of playing Grand Theft Auto Online in 2024. While it's been a decade since the online add-on of the last GTA game launched, Rockstar doesn't have any plans of shuttering GTA Online anytime soon. After all, it's its own pixelated cash cow.
Still, GTA Online is in danger of evolving beyond its current form. Despite 10 years of constant updates and content drops, GTA Online's latest evolution could be locking out PC players. The title has made it onto three generations of PlayStation and Xbox, and while PC has kept up, that partnership is grinding to a halt.
GTA Online could be losing PC players in 2024
A worrying update has appeared on the Rockstar Support page, warning that the developer is ending support for Windows 7 and Windows 8. As reported by ComicBook.com, there are over 100 million PC owners still using Windows 7 in 2023.
Rockstar writes, "In light of Microsoft's end of support for Windows 7 and Windows 8 operating systems, Rockstar Games will no longer officially support these operating systems beginning January 30, 2024.
"To prevent any future interruptions of service and ensure continued access to the latest platform features, we recommend Windows 7 and 8 users upgrade to a supported operating system as soon as possible."
Doomsday is looming, with all games currently compatible with the Rockstar Games Launcher losing support for Windows 7 and Windows 8. Before you go crying about a sudden loss, remember that Microsoft itself ended support for the operating systems in January 2023.
ComicBook notes that the Windows 7 numbers don't include those on Windows 8, suggesting there are even more out there who could be affected by these changes. What's more, there are worries that PS4 and Xbox One support could be next.
GTA Online 2 could be on the way
If Rockstar is cutting support for older operating systems, it could be another hint at GTA 6's online contingent. As there's been nothing official to go off on GTA 6, there's even less to go on when it comes to its online capabilities or whether it'll evolve into GTA Online 2 like Call of Duty did with Warzone.
We covered how someone collected all the GTA 6 leaks in one giant document, but there's a notable absence of anything related to GTA Online. Even though it looks like there will be the same 30-player lobby, anyone could've made that up as a rumour.
Similar to Warzone 2, there are further concerns that your vehicles and outfits won't carry over. After all, GTA has come on so far from its base build, we're not sure it would even be able to run alongside GTA 6. Either way, it's the end of an era in 2024 for GTA Online. Does that mean we'll finally get a GTA 6 announcement? Don't count on it.
About The Author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
