The day has finally come: Grand Theft Auto Online will officially shut down on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles tomorrow, December 16, 2021. The game launched on both consoles eight years ago, and an enhanced version will be headed to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in March 2022. While it’s not surprising that the original servers are being shut down, those who were hoping to transfer their years of saved progress are about to be completely out of luck. Any vehicles or buildings players own will be completely wiped as of tomorrow, so get ready to start a brand new game. Spend today wandering down memory lane if the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of GTA Online are still your consoles of choice.
The game’s offline story will still be available on these original consoles going forward, and player progress will also be saved in this regard. Earlier this year, Rockstar Social Club’s leaderboards were closed, along with the online servers for Max Payne 3 and LA Noire.
Grand Theft Auto Online is set in San Andreas and allows up to 30 players to explore an open world environment while engaging in both cooperative and competitive matches. Players design their own character and attempt to become the most powerful crime boss in the region, building a criminal empire through missions. Although receiving a number of accolades upon release, the game is currently facing criticism from players ready to move on to the future of the franchise as Rockstar prepares to release GTA Online yet again for new consoles.
GTA Online initially launched for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in October 2013. In November 2014, it was released on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles, with a PC launch following shortly after in April 2015. In March 2022, the title will come to current-gen consoles, although the newest PlayStation 5 trailer was bombed with dislikes on YouTube. The reason? Fans are ready for something new to play after nearly a decade.
