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Proof Positive Rockstar Loves GTA Fans

Proof Positive Rockstar Loves GTA Fans

Grand Theft Auto V is quickly approaching its two-year anniversary launch next week and Rockstar Games continues to provide gamers with a slew of new content. The developers recently announced the debut of Freemode Events for GTA Online, which will provide a host of new gameplay challenges for gamers to tear up the streets of San Andreas with. The randomized events will take full advantage of the next-gen hardware by allowing players to hop directly into a series of game modes without experiencing loading screens, list menus, or host lobbies. The exciting and unique multiplayer offerings include King of the Castle, Hunt the Beast, Hunting Pack, and Cross the Line. Oh, did we mention that the new updates are entirely free, courtesy of Rockstar?

The addition of these new events might seem like a small gesture in the grand scheme of things, but the effort to continually produce valuable content is something the console gaming community is not used to. Just look at the Destiny debacle and you know exactly what I’m taking about. Sure, the content isn’t the story mode DLC that the GTA fanbase has been asking for, but it’s a subtle nod to gamers that some developers still care about core loyalists. Not only does the release create a fresh experience for everyone, even those of you who haven’t touched the game in months, but it also continues to repair and bridge the gap between gamer and developer. Simple moves like this remind the community of the old days and how publishers used to operate before they started relying on DLC tactics as fail-safes.

During its inception, DLC was meant to add more value to an already established and preexisting gamer base. Yes, it was essentially developed as a tactic to build brand loyalty, which some could say is a type of hidden monetization, but ultimately the content provided more value than the price tag suggested. Unfortunately, publishers have traded major decision-making positions, which were once occupied by gaming minds, in for seasoned MBAs, who are only concerned about the bottom line. As a result, the DLC model has been altered drastically and gamers are now experiencing the addition through subtraction model and paying more for a complete game than they ever have in the past.

Proof Positive Rockstar Loves GTA Fans

However, Rockstar seems to be changing that, and in a big way. Not only do they continue to produce phenomenal games that come packed with hours of replay value, but they also don’t milk the cow dry and pump you full of controversial DLC. The company has been doing this since the inception of GTA 3 and has employed this transparent tactic across its entire portfolio of games. No, I don’t think they’re trying to make a few extra bucks off their old titles as some might suggest. Rather, I think their efforts are pure in nature and they desperately want the gaming industry to thrive when all is said and done.

There is a common balance that Rockstar has built into its company model and it’s partly the reason for their enormous following. The new GTA V online features only further validates that Rockstar Games truly has the gamer’s interest at heart. These guys simply get it, it’s just a shame that so many other big name publishers and developers don’t.

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