It initially polarised reviewers, being criticised for its lack of direction and repetitive missions, with praise particularly directed at the scope and open-ended gameplay. At launch, it suffered widespread technical issues resulting in the inability to play missions and loss of character data. The game also features numerous side missions and events, including the more advanced "Heists", and various businesses that players can purchase and manage to produce income.ĭeveloped in tandem with the single-player mode, Grand Theft Auto Online was conceived as a separate experience to be played in a continually evolving world. Set both months before and a few years after the single-player campaign, Grand Theft Auto Online comprises cooperative missions where multiple players complete tasks to advance the narrative. Players control a customizable silent protagonist in their journey to become a powerful criminal, slowly building an empire as they complete increasingly difficult tasks. The open-world design lets players freely roam San Andreas, which includes an open countryside and the fictional city of Los Santos (based on Los Angeles). Set within the fictional state of San Andreas (based on Southern California), Grand Theft Auto Online allows up to 30 players to explore its open world environment and engage in cooperative or competitive game matches. The game is the online component of Grand Theft Auto V. It was released on 1 October 2013 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, 18 November 2014 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and 14 April 2015 for Microsoft Windows PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions are scheduled for March 2022. Grand Theft Auto Online is an online multiplayer action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games.