Things are looking up for GTA Online with an exciting year of content coming in 2021.
Last year saw the first real expansion come to GTA 5 via GTA Online's Cayo Perico Heist and Rockstar Games aren't slowing down as we head further into 2021.
With both the standalone GTA Online and next-gen GTA 5 releasing scheduled for the second half of 2021, we're taking a look at all the content that's coming up.
2021 Content Teasers
In Rockstar Games' recent "Thank You" to their GTA and Red Dead communities, eagle-eyed fans have spotted some hints at what's to come in terms of 2021 GTA Online content.
Largely, the Rockstar Newswire post is about the fantastic, record-breaking year, both GTA Online and Red Dead Online have had.
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The post ends with the following quote:
" Stay tuned for more news on exciting future updates to both games coming this year... and keep a look-out for more celebratory events in the near future for the chance to score new gear, bonus GTA$ and a free vehicle in GTA Online..."
It isn't as specific as anyone wants, but it confirms that there's going to be more free content updates coming to GTA Online in 2021 which is... something.
Future Plans Mentioned In GQ Interview
Discussing the Cayo Perico Heist update in December 2020, Rockstar Games suggested that the future GTA Online updates will be designed to be enjoyed by both single players and groups.
" From a design perspective, the new island was a chance to balance the experience. ”It’s something we’re keen to carry forward,” he adds. “We want to respect teams and players who want to play co-op. But at the same time still allow solo players to still get just as valid an experience out of it. There are perks to both."
With this in mind, the GQ interview continues to suggest that there will be more single-player elements included in the future GTA Online updates.
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Although this doesn't really explain what is actually coming, it could mean that the 2021 GTA Online content we do get will be following in the footsteps of the Cayo Perico Heist.
That is, we could see more mission-styled content expansions that open up GTA Online to both solo players and group-based activities.
Single-Player GTA Online DLC
Following on from this, it seems like it's clear that the Cayo Perico Heist has set a new standard for GTA Online content updates going into 2021.
GTA Online is going to get more single-player elements and solo-focused gameplay content in order to bring those players who prefer to play solo into the fold more.
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But what does this mean? Well, it could mean anything.
The Cayo Perico Heist was a huge expansion for GTA Online and appears to set a benchmark on what players expect.
This doesn't just mean new locations either; The Cayo Perico Heist brought almost a new way to play GTA Online to the forefront. It had solid narrative chops and the Cayo Perico Island itself was a hub-like level reminiscent of something you'd see in a Hitman game.
This could easily be applied to existing locations in Los Santos if there aren't plans for another new location and we expect there to be more narrative-based updates going forward.
What We Want To See
With this in mind, there are a few things we want to see from GTA Online in 2021.
Firstly, we want to return to Ludendorff, North Yankton.
GTA 5's prologue mission opens the game fantastically and it would be the perfect location to return to in GTA online.
The map is already there and it wouldn't be impossible to add some sort of heist or mission to the area.
In addition to this, we'd like to see a revamped Heist system be introduced in a future update.
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GTA Online's Heists are fantastic but you need a full team to do them at the moment. This limits a lot of people's involvement and can exclude those players who prefer to play alone.
With some sort of NPC system or an adaptation of the existing objectives, this could be opened up to partially-filled teams and allow a lot more people to get enjoyment out of the experience.
GTA Online's standalone release is due in the second half of 2021. Rockstar Games' Twitter account will be the best place for the latest official announcements.