Rockstar Divulges Grand Theft Auto Online Details, Sets Launch Time

from time

Rockstar confirms that GTA Online should launch around 7 a.m. ET on Tuesday, October 1.

By Matt Peckham @mattpeckhamSept. 30, 20135 Comments

• •  
  •  
  •  
  • inShare 
• Read Later

Rockstar

RELATED

• This Is the Nadir of Irresponsible Reporting About Grand Theft Auto V
• Lost Your Ride in Grand Theft Auto V? Rockstar Says a Fix Is Incoming
• Grand Theft Auto V No Longer Wants to Be a Billionaire
• Grand Theft Auto V Review: Everything Rockstar’s Learned About Open-World Design, Refined

• Email
 
• Print
• Share
 
• Comment

 Follow @techland

Ready for Grand Theft Auto Online, the ambitious multiplayer angle your copy of Grand Theft Auto V‘s been teasing with a “This area will be unlocked once GTA Online has launched” placeholder since the game debuted a few weeks ago? No? You’re still punching through the solo experience?

So am I, friends, so am I, and I probably will be for months to come. But hark, October 1 won’t wait, andwhile we teeter on the brink of a government shutdown, Rockstar’s about to destroy (or at least modestly cripple) the interwebs with a downloadableGTA Online update as who knows how many millions of players scramble to sign in and see what Rockstar’s been cooking.

In view of the launch tomorrow morning, Rockstar just published a primer on its blog, including the following explanation of how you’ll access multiplayer mode:

Access to Grand Theft Auto Online is free with your copy of Grand Theft Auto V. On October 1st there will be a small downloadable Title Update released on PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE. Upon installation of that Title Update, direct access to begin GTA Online will be unlocked in your GTAV game menu. You will be able to jump right into GTA Online via the 4th (bottom) slot in your GTAV character wheel. We’ve received many questions asking for a specific confirmation of what exact time GTA Online will be available but of course this is contingent on both Title Updates becoming available on each console’s network. As a general timeframe, we do expect the Title Update to become available on PSN and Xbox LIVE starting around 7AM ET tomorrow morning, and your best bet is to stay tuned throughout the day here at the Rockstar Newswire and by following us on Twitter and Facebook where we will be keeping everyone updated.

We now know when GTA Online takes place, too: “a few months prior to the events of Grand Theft Auto V’s single player story.”

Matt Peckham @mattpeckham

Matt Peckham is TIME's video games, science tech and music tech correspondent based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. His work has appeared in Variety, The Washington Post, The New York Times and others.