A Decade in Los Santos: The Bittersweet Goodbye to GTA Online

This April marks ten years since GTA 5 launched on PC, and in that decade, I’ve probably spent more time watching Los Santos sunsets than real ones. Thanks to GTA Online, I’ve sunk nearly 400 hours into pulling off heists, building criminal empires, and—more often than not—causing absolute chaos with friends.

Every year, I find myself slipping back into GTA Online, usually in the summer when cruising through Blaine County feels just right. But lately, something feels different. With GTA 6 on the horizon, the future of GTA Online is uncertain. Will Rockstar retire it in favor of something new, or will it remain as a legacy title for those unwilling to say goodbye?

Memories of a Digital Crime Spree

GTA Online was the first game I played on my custom-built PC, and I can still remember the rush of robbing convenience stores, fleeing with a five-star wanted level, and marveling at the game’s visuals. Even today, I catch myself stopping to admire the golden-drizzle sunsets over Vinewood or the way rain spatters against the pavement.

But what made GTA Online special wasn’t just the world—it was the people. Sure, I’d hop in solo for gun deals when the grind pulled me in, but the best moments were always with friends. What started as productive nights—pulling off heists, filling warehouses with stolen goods—often turned into something much less structured.

We made up our own games, like Dooring (where you dive out of a moving car and try to hit someone with its still-open door), and perfected the comedic timing of switching the radio to Rebel Radio at the worst possible moments. Sometimes, we’d just go for aimless drives, lounge in each other’s penthouses, or ride the freight train around the countryside. When the pandemic hit, GTA Online became more than just a game—it was a social lifeline.

Will Rockstar Pull the Plug?

Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Rockstar’s parent company Take-Two, recently addressed the future of GTA Online, stating that the company has a “willingness to support legacy titles when a community wants to be engaged with them.” That’s a carefully worded way of saying maybe.

There’s a part of me that welcomes a fresh start. A decade of GTA Online’s madness has been fun, but it’s also left the game feeling bloated. Power creep got out of control—when missile-launching flying bikes became the norm, the grounded criminal underworld fantasy took a hit. With GTA 6, Rockstar has a chance to reset, to take everything they’ve learned and build a better online experience from the ground up.

But GTA Online is massive—too big to simply be abandoned. Many players have spent real money on properties, cars, and businesses. For them, moving on won’t be easy. Even if Rockstar keeps the servers running, I suspect some will cling to Los Santos simply because it’s familiar.

Saying Goodbye—Or Moving On?

For me, it’s time to go. Leaving behind 400 hours of progress will sting, but the idea of starting fresh in GTA 6 is exciting—especially if it means fewer flying death bikes. Whatever happens, the real heart of GTA Online isn’t the cars or the chaos—it’s the friends we made along the way.

And wherever GTA takes us next, we’ll bring those memories with us.