It seems like every other week, we’re being bombarded with a new piece of solo exploration advice for gamers. “Do this. Don’t do that. Explore so-and-so. Collect these. Kill those. Don’t talk to strangers,” etc. While there’s always room for improvement, it’s wearying keeping up with this advice, especially since most of it is contradictory. After all, the people giving the advice have typically never been in a situation where they’re on their own, relying on their wits alone to overcome challenges. So, while the idea of exploring solo and going it alone might sound appealing to gamers, perhaps taking this approach in real life isn’t always the best idea.
The idea of exploring the open world of Grand Theft Auto Online isn’t new. Since the game’s inception, gamers have been dreaming of being able to travel the globe and plunder the suburban areas of Los Santos and Blaine County for money and cars. But what if you’re unable to travel abroad? What if you don’t want to spend the majority of your time driving from place to place? There have been various methods available to gamers willing to explore the game’s open world on their own, but perhaps the most popular and lucrative solo option is the money-making mission. With each new game patch, the missions have gotten more and more lucrative, so much so that some gamers consider them their primary source of income within the game.
Whether you’re looking to make a quick buck or are looking to make a new and permanent home in the game, the options are ripe for the taking. In this article, we’ll run down the best money-making and solo missions available for players interested in expanding their horizons and taking a step outside their comfort zone.
Top Solo Missions For Money
As mentioned above, the idea of exploring the open world of GTAO isn’t new. In fact, it dates back to the game’s original release in 2013. At the time, it was possible to participate in a “solo mission,” which is a mission where you go it alone, without assistance from other players. The first of these solo missions is called “The Ballad of Gay Tony,” and it’s one of the more unique and interesting missions in the game. In this mission, you play as Tony, a gay escort who runs a strip club named The Ballad in Midtown.
Gay Tony is something of a mentor to Franklin, the game’s main protagonist. While on a date, Tony is kidnapped by Los Santos District gangsters, who hold him ransom for a million dollars. As a result of this kidnapping, you become the target of the Los Santos District, who want you to cough up the money or else they’ll kill you. To learn more, take a look at the mission’s details (which can be found in the in-game guide or via the game’s website if you haven’t played it yet) and make a plan. You have until the end of the year to pay off your debtors, or they’ll torch your club and leave you with nothing.
The Ballad of Gay Tony Solo Mission
“The Ballad of Gay Tony” is one of the more unique solo missions in the Grand Theft Auto universe. In order to complete the mission, you need to fulfill a number of objective in the game, which range from shooting human traffickers and rival gangsters to rescuing kidnapped civilians and informants.
You play as Tony, a gay escort who owns The Ballad, a strip club located in midtown Los Santos. One day, while on a date with Sally, a hooker who works at The Ballad, Tony is kidnapped by the Los Santos District, who want him to pay off a million dollars in ransom. As a result of this kidnapping, you are now targeted by The Los Santos District, who want you to pay off your debt or else they will kill you. In order to raise the money to pay off his ransom, Tony has to work as a strip club escort. From there, he goes on a crime spree, leading to a number of different storylines and ultimately involving a number of different characters in his endeavor to get his money back.
As mentioned above, the Ballad is a strip club, which essentially means that there will be lots of revealing clothes and some nudity. While you won’t be doing any of this yourself, you will be surrounded by large amounts of money and lots of opportunities to make quick cash. But this also means that it’s probably not the safest place for a lone explorer to explore, as you’ll be surrounded by people who have their own motives for attacking you or stealing from you. It’s a risky business being a solo explorer in a dangerous place like this, but it’s a pretty cool experience nonetheless.
Another option is to participate in the “Missions from Heaven” DLC, which adds several new places and stories to the game’s main plot. You can find the directions to these missions in the in-game guide, which can also be accessed via the internet if you’re playing on a PC. These missions are where you go on adventures to find treasure and fight off zombies. The bonus is that these missions are often quite lucrative, leading you to earn more money than you could possibly spend in one lifetime in Rockstar’s largest and most popular open-world game.
Solo Travel To The Outer Banks
If you’re looking for a more traditional money-making scenario, you can go the route of the traditional bank heist and take down a loan shark. For most gamers, this will be the preferred way to earn quick cash. You’ll have to travel to the outer banks and pull off a number of heists in order to pay off your debt. But you won’t be alone. While you’re traveling, you’ll have the opportunity to team up with other players and complete quests for money and experience points. This is a much safer, albeit less exciting, option for gamers who want to explore the open world of GTAO on their own but don’t have the guts to actually go through with a bank robbery.
The Bus Driver Retirement Plan
For players who have a dream of driving a bus for the rest of their life, there’s a mission where you can do just that. As the title implies, you play as a bus driver who is retiring. After working your entire career, this is presumably the best and most financially beneficial decision you can make. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most dangerous jobs in the game. While driving a bus for fun, you will encounter drunk drivers, gangs, and all kinds of unpredictable behavior. But you know what? Enrolling in a retirement plan like this is probably the safest and most financially beneficial decision you can make as a solo explorer, or maybe even a solo player in general. Why? Because you’ll have someone to blame when things go wrong, and that someone is typically not going to be the person behind the wheel.
New Life In The Big Apple
If you’re looking to make some fast cash and don’t mind the danger, you can always become a drug lord or a gang leader in New York City. This is another option that you can explore in GTAO. The upside is that you’ll be working for a well-known and reputable criminal organization, which will give you the opportunity to move up the ladder quickly.
On the downside, this is one of the most dangerous jobs in the game, both due to the nature of the work and the fact that you’ll be living in one of the most dangerous cities in the world. In order to succeed, you will have to be ruthless, having people killed and/or arrested if they stand in the way of your money-making endeavors.
Riches Within Reason
If none of the above seem like a fit, you can always become a drug dealer or a kingpin. These are essentially the same as above, only the hierarchy within the organization is different. While it’s not a traditional monetary scheme, it’s still very lucrative, especially since you’ll be able to trade certain drugs for weapons or money. These are essentially the safest and most profitable options for gamers who don’t want to go the traditional route.
Take Your Time
For those who don’t want to rush into a life of crime, there’s also the option of taking a more conventional path. You can be a taxi cab driver in Los Santos or work your way up the corporate ladder. These are very conventional ways to make a living, but they’re also relatively safe and lucrative. And who knows? You might even enjoy doing this kind of work. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether you want to be a criminal or not.