Rockstar Games shared many details Wedneday about Grand Theft Auto V's multiplayer experience for the PS3 and Xbox 360, Grand Theft Auto Online. This includes confirmation that the game will come with micro-transactions so that players can quickly accumulate wealth and purchase items faster in-game.
While discussing how GTA Online players can earn reputation and cash by knocking over armored cars, winning street races, doing stick-ups or other activities in-game, Rockstar revealed that players can purchase in-game money with real world dollars.
"[I]f you’re the completely instant gratification type, you can choose to buy denominations of GTA$. You will have the option to purchase GTA$ through the in-game Store." Rockstar wrote.
This opens up the possibility that GTA Online could be pay-to-win but Rockstar says that everything is balanced.
"The game and its economy have been designed and balanced for the vast majority of players who will not buy extra cash," Rockstar explained. "There is no in-game paywall and nothing that should disrupt the balance of the game. You don’t have to spend real money to attain the cars, guns, clothes, flash and style of a high-roller in Los Santos, but can if you wish to get them a little quicker. The economy is balanced differently from the single player economy, and cash earned in one cannot be taken over to the other. Most players will earn cash much faster Online than in Story Mode."
A leak earlier in the day from the Rockstar website via Eurogamer revealed that in-game cash will be sold in denominations of $100,000, $200,000, $500,000 and $1,250,000. Prices will likely range from $2 to $15 but the prices reported by Eurogamer are in pounds so it is hard to tell what they will be in US dollars.
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