Even as we eagerly anticipate Grand Theft Auto VI, there are still plenty of people logging into Los Santos to check out the latest update to GTA Online with their buddies. With the game nearly arriving at its 10th anniversary, GamesRadar spoke with Rockstar North's design director Scott Butchard, who spoke a bit about the online mode.
"When we started out, I don't think we could have ever dreamed we'd still be going 10 years on. The success of GTA Online is nothing we ever expected," Butchard said. It does seem strange that he didn't imagine the formula of GTA's chaos with friends would be so successful, but clearly it has proven to be a winner.
Speaking about the many updates to the game, Butchard said: "Certainly, we want to make sure GTA Online updates are free and accessible to everyone, so that our entire community can experience it together. That still stands today."
"Looking back, at the start we were pushing GTA Online primarily as a multiplayer experience - whether it was cooperative or competitive, we felt we needed to get players in and have fun playing together in a shared space. As time went on, we realized so much of the experience works better when we provide more potential to enjoy the game on an individual level, and that the core experience can then be changed and improved upon by playing with others. We started to really hit our stride when we began designing Heists to be playable with just one or two players."
Are you still playing Grand Theft Auto Online?