Bad news if you're still playing GTA Online on last-but-one-generation consoles. Rockstar is shutting down the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of GTA Online this December, so you won't be able to access the online portion of Grand Theft Auto V on those platforms.
What won't you be able to do in GTA Online from December?
According to an official Rockstar blog post, both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of GTA Online will be shutting down on December 16th. This includes stat tracking via the Rockstar Games Social Club service. You'll also no longer be able to buy Shark Cash Cards for these versions of GTA Online starting from September 15th this year. Better get those last-minute casino parties in while you still can.
If you're halfway through Grand Theft Auto V's main story mode, don't panic. These changes won't affect progress in the Story Mode whatsoever, and you'll still be able to access the single-player component of the game on PS3 and Xbox 360 after the servers for GTA Online shut down. In addition, this shutdown won't affect the PS4, Xbox One, or PC versions of GTA Online. Naturally, you will still be able to access the online portion when Grand Theft Auto V launches for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S this fall. This change is strictly for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of GTA.
Are any other games affected by this change?
Since Rockstar is shutting down the Rockstar Games Social Club on seventh-generation platforms, you'll also notice website and stat tracking capabilities disappear for a couple of other games. Rockstar says that stat tracking, online multiplayer, and leaderboards for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Max Payne 3 won't be available from December, with the PC version unaffected. Similarly, stat tracking for LA Noire will be deactivated on December 16th as well. Just as with Grand Theft Auto, these changes won't have any effect on the single-player modes of either game.
It's tempting to see this as the end of an era, but the fact is that Grand Theft Auto V is still available on current-gen platforms, so it's still more than possible to play GTA Online should you wish. You can grab Grand Theft Auto V - and thus continue your GTA Online journey, although you will need to start from scratch - on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. An enhanced version of the game is also on its way for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, but in the meantime, you can still play the last-gen versions of the game on those consoles.
Will you miss GTA Online on PS3 and Xbox 360? Let us know in the comments below!
