GTA V. Online.
It hit the market last month, and it’s been a wild ride ever since. In fact, the first three days were such a frenzy that Rock Star Games had to put a cap on buying new vehicles (they disabled the purchase of all existing vehicles).
And yet, despite the crazy pre-launch popularity, the game has maintained a relatively steady pace of growth since then. Currently it has around seven million registered users, with 10 million anticipated for next month.
The Fastest Way to Make Money
Just how popular is GTA V. Online? Let’s take a trip down Reddit memory lane. On September 17th, 2017, just over three weeks after launch, the subreddit /r/GTAVOnline reached its highest peak of activity with 493,000 subscribers (at the time of this writing, it’s just over half that size).
The following day, September 18th, saw a whopping 616,000 subscribers, and at this writing, the highest peak was on September 21st, when 645,000 people tuned in.
The most active day of the week wasn’t Monday or Tuesday, but Wednesday. This pattern held steady throughout most of September, as subscribers bounced back from a relatively low point on September 14th (423,000 people were on Reddit at the time, compared to 645,000 the previous Wednesday).
So what’s making GTA V. Online so appealing. Is it the violence? The car collecting? The heist-ings? Or maybe it’s all of those things combined with a brilliant, hilarious script?
The Subreddit Phenomenon
You might be wondering why these peaks of activity are happening on Reddit. Well, it’s probably because the site is the biggest and most active one in the world when it comes to forums about video games. Essentially, the more popular a game is, the more Redditors there will be. (In case you’re wondering, that’s also why you’ll often see announcements for new games on Reddit first).
And it’s not just about video games. As we’ve established, Wednesday is the most active day of the week on Reddit, and it’s not hard to see why. The site promotes itself as the “front page of the internet” for its incredible selection of content. If you’ve never been there, now’s the perfect opportunity to check it out.
GTA V. Online: Why And How?
Let’s take a step back for a second. What is GTA V. Online? It’s a next-generation, multi-player online game that takes place in an open world environment.
Players assume the role of criminals or law enforcement in a fully functional city. In GTA V. Online, your abilities include driving cars, executing hit-and-runs, and participating in bike fights (yes, you read that right). (If you want to take a more detailed look, you can find our original review here.)
And what inspired Rock Star Games to create this game? Several factors. First is the sheer size of the game world. Just to give you an idea of how big this is, there’s a server-side image caching system that stores all the map data locally on the server. (If you’ve ever played Grand Theft Auto, you’ll know this is the case.) This ensures that no matter where you are in the world, the map will always be available.
The map also has a draw mode, so you don’t have to worry about running out of things to do. (Although, we must stress that this will consume a significant amount of your nightlife.)
Another factor contributing to GTA V. Online’s popularity is the sheer volume of content available. Not only do you get to explore a huge city, but you can also participate in races, play mini-games, and join clubs that allow you to access special events and holiday periods.
Rock Star Games also put a lot of effort into creating a rich, immersive story. As the saying goes, it’s all about the story, and in GTA V. Online, it really is.
Making Money In GTA V. Online
So you’ve decided to explore the wonderful world of GTA V. Online. Great! Now how do you intend to spend your time? Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can make money in the game.
The Job Board
One of the first things you’ll notice if you log in is the giant job board at the top of the screen. This is where you can browse dozens of jobs, from taxi drives to mansions guards and everything in between. The fact is, there’s a job for everyone in GTA V. Online, including you!
The good thing about the job board is that you don’t have to be a hired killer or a drug lord to stand a chance of finding work. All you need is a reliable way to connect to the game’s servers and, of course, a few dollars.
Bounty Hunting Contracts
Did you kill someone in GTA V. Online? Did you steal a car that someone wants back? Did you rip off a drug dealer and want to be paid back? If so, you can put in a good word for yourself with one of the many bounty hunters who are trying to get their hands on you. (It doesn’t hurt to have a $5,000 bounty on your head either.)
The only downside is that you have to find the guy yourself. However, this can be a fun way to earn some extra cash. Just keep in mind that you’ll have to be on your toes all the time because the hunters are always looking for new targets. (And don’t get too confident either, or they’ll realize you’re no longer a challenge and remove your bounty.)
Casino Jobs
Did you ever play any of the online casinos that have popped up in the last few years? Well, if you answered “yes”, then you’re in luck because you can apply your real-life skills to make money in the online casinos. (It’s actually been said that some of these jobs are so easy to do that you can make money while you sleep.)
The great thing about working in an online casino is that the pay can be extremely good. While the typical salary for a security guard is just a few hundred dollars per week, a casino guard can pull in six-figure salaries depending on their winnings and bonuses. (And getting caught by the casino manager just isn’t something you want to happen.) Most casinos will also give you bonus money if you meet a certain threshold of play time. (Usually around $1,200 to $3,600 a month.) So you can see that this is definitely a way to make some quick cash without too much effort.
Carrying/Muffling
Did you ever read or see a movie where the main character wears a mask to hide their identity? Well, in GTA V. Online, you can do the same thing by carrying illegal substances in public. (It’s all about the story, again.) Did you witness a crime and decide to get a hit of cocaine to sleep off the shakes? Or do you plan on selling drugs to fund your trips to the opera house? (The answer shouldn’t matter. You’re doing it for the story.)
It isn’t easy to get a drug dealer’s license in GTA V. Online, but if you do, you can take their place and start selling their wares on the streets. (If you’re looking for a place to park and sell drugs, the port authority building is a perfect spot. Just keep in mind that there are a lot of cops around there, so be careful.) You can also get a safehouse in a couple of hours, and it comes with an attached garage that can hold up to three cars.
Robbery
Did you see the movie Goodfellas? If so, you’ll know that organized crime isn’t something that just ceased to exist in the last century. In fact, it’s always been around, and it still is today. (Think Las Vegas and Monaco.)
Did you see a rich guy wearing a mask and wanting to steal all of his money? Well, you can do the same thing in GTA V. Online, although in a more passive way. Simply join a Robbery Club, which is what the professionals call this type of activity. (Don’t get too confident either, or they’ll know you’re no longer a challenge and remove your membership.)