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GTA Online monetization model leaked. Buy money. [Found on Rockstar Servers]

A reddit user was dabbling with his copy of the game, and pulled an intriguing file that may shed some light on GTA Online's monetization model.

We all have read some comments in the subreddit about it's quite hard making money in the game, properties are not very profitable, and the missions that affect the stock market seem to be too few and too early.

I think I might have found why. When you open the store section in the pause menu, it says there is nothing available yet, but the console requests this file.

It's a plain XML file where you will see that besides of the downlodable content from the special editions, there are 4 so-called "cash cards", ranging from $100,000 to $1,250,000.

Here is the XML file in question:
http://prod.cloud.rockstargames.com/titles/gta5/xbox360/store/en/commerceData.xml

Some of the comments in the file read the following:

Cash is king in this town. Solve your money problems and help get what you want across Los Santos and Blaine County with the purchase of cash packs for Grand Theft Auto Online. All purchased cash is automatically deposited into your character’s bank account. Spend wisely, cash therapy is fleeting.

Source

This really isn't a rumor anymore since it's on Rockstar's servers.

Source (from OP): http://prod.cloud.rockstargames.com/titles/gta5/xbox360/store/en/commerceData.xml

Images:
http://prod.cloud.rockstargames.com/titles/gta5/xbox360/store/images/cash/GTAV_STORE_Credit_100.dds
http://prod.cloud.rockstargames.com/titles/gta5/xbox360/store/images/cash/GTAV_STORE_Credit_200.dds
http://prod.cloud.rockstargames.com/titles/gta5/xbox360/store/images/cash/GTAV_STORE_Credit_500.dds
http://prod.cloud.rockstargames.com/titles/gta5/xbox360/store/images/cash/GTAV_STORE_Credit_1250.dds

Converted and rehosted images:
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F7kCaT5.jpg


awZoWZx.jpg
 

Rashid

Banned
Nah mate. This game is good enough and fun enough to be enjoyed very easily without the microtransactions.
 
Eeks.

And the fact that I've heard you can actually lose your in-game money by being robbed.

I wonder if you'll be able to *gulp* sell this money somehow...
 
That would pretty much fit with the direction most major games are heading.

Yup. Isn't this similar to how ME3 handled their multiplayer? You could still get the cards and stuff, but you could pay to get booster packs?

You can still accrue moneys, or just buy money!
 
"they're not forcing you to buy anything" shall we just get that out of the way right away?
It's not even about GTA Online, it's about singleplayer money.

Keep calm and wait for October 1st.
The way they're pitching GTA Online is that it's kind of crossing over. My guess is that if your crew has enough money you can buy more luxurious hang outs and facilties. All using the same currency. Do well in online, you can take that cash back into single player.
 

Kuro

Member
Eeks.

And the fact that I've heard you can actually lose your in-game money by being robbed.

I wonder if you'll be able to *gulp* sell this money somehow...

That actually sounds possible. Now wait until the Chinese get their hands on the game for botting.
 

davepoobond

you can't put a price on sparks
Interesting. I think it's good for the series to have less cash inflation personally cause it makes purchases not as inconsequential.

I can't imagine what you'd really want to buy in the game that you'd spend real money for though.
 

raphier

Banned
I wanted GTAV before for PC due Online component, but now my reaction is: :lol nope. You can keep your game, I am fine without it.
:(
 

Pompadour

Member
People didn't see this coming? They said they wanted to create a platform wherein they could continually add content over time. As it was not subscription based it seemed likely they were going to have something in the game players could buy with real money.
 
I wouldn't be surprised. As long as the game is fair and it's not too hard or time consuming to get the money to buy most things, we won't need these.
 

UrbanRats

Member
In GTAOnline people can shoot you up and steal your cash.
This would mean people can steal your real money as a game mechanic, beyond imbecile.
 
Eeks.

And the fact that I've heard you can actually lose your in-game money by being robbed.

I wonder if you'll be able to *gulp* sell this money somehow...

You can not lose money in your account. You can be robbed of your money from heists etc. which you have not deposited yet.
 

Harlock

Member
Or you can steal from real world banks and use the money in the game. Talking about breaking the fourth wall.
 
First steps in spinning off the online multiplayer into its own game? Would make sense, GTA4 MP is still one of the most played games on XBL (and presumably PSN), so it seems this is the obvious next step into making more money from the multiplayer.
 

Salex_

Member
People didn't see this coming? They said they wanted to create a platform wherein they could continually add content over time. As it was not subscription based it seemed likely they were going to have something in the game players could buy with real money.

No man, companies shouldn't be allowed to make money to continue to add content for the game.
/s
 

UrbanRats

Member
People didn't see this coming? They said they wanted to create a platform wherein they could continually add content over time. As it was not subscription based it seemed likely they were going to have something in the game players could buy with real money.

IT's one thing to sell you new content as DLC (cars, weapons, clothes) like most games do, it's another to sell you in-game cash.
 

Hip Hop

Member
Is money hard to come by in the game like the reddit op is saying?

Yes, it is. Even after doing the last mission.

There is a piece of property worth $150 million dollars in the single player. After you are done with the game, I really can't see how anyone would raise that money. Even with the infinite money glitches, you will get nowhere near close to that number.
 

Derrick01

Banned
At least you can take people's money in the Online. So any fool dumb or lazy enough to spend real money on fake money will have a sedan bumper with their name on it.

edit: Oh this is about the SP? Yeah that makes sense too. It's pretty tough to earn the amount of money it takes to buy everything.
 

StoOgE

First tragedy, then farce.
Sounds like every single F2P game out there.

You can "play" for free. If you want the good stuff without grinding for a year? You gotta pay for that.

I'm more likely to play this than a subscription model game. Normally I play the game for 2-3 months then decide what I need to be competitive, spend the 10 bucks I need to in order to grab that stuff... and if the game turns out to have too much power creep with new items I'll just stop playing.
 
If other people are buying so i can get more content im fine :p
Im wondering are you dropped into the online world with stranger or do you need to gather 16 friends?
 

bidguy

Banned
In GTAOnline people can shoot you up and steal your cash.
This would mean people can steal your real money as a game mechanic, beyond imbecile.

no you cant steal cash thats deposited into the bank account

as far as i know, everytime you earn money in gta online you have to take it to an ATM or youll run into risk of getting robbed by other players.

that description explicitly states that the money gets deposited on your bank account
 

Eusis

Member
Not if you're even remotely thrifty. I'd rather spend the cash on food.
Plus there's the issue of just breaking game design by de facto requiring this crap. GTAV doesn't seem to exactly be unbeatable without it given it's not even available and everyone can beat the game just fine, but I'd rather a game be self contained or at least depend more on buying additional content, not just using real money to fix deliberately broken fake money balance. Nevermind that just kills the satisfaction of actually earning the damn money, and when a game's only about earning money (essentially, not fully applicable in this case I guess) what's the point?

We'll just have to wait and see I guess, but it's disappointing how many games are giving into this and kind of undermining being products we buy and enjoy.
 

Dave1988

Member
As long as I can get money for general stuff at a decent rate (with normal gameplay) I don't care at all.

Not gonna happen. Online in GTA IV was already a horrible grind fest. If they're throwing microtranslations into the mix, I doubt they won't make GTA Online another grind fest.
 
In GTAOnline people can shoot you up and steal your cash.
This would mean people can steal your real money as a game mechanic, beyond imbecile.
Not to mention the stock market, which has been temperamental this past weekend. Some body is going to get burned, just like in EVE. And the stories will probably be pretty fun if the stakes are low.
no you cant steal cash thats deposited into the bank account

as far as i know, everytime you earn money in gta online you have to take it to an ATM or youll run into risk of getting robbed by other players.

that description explicitly states that the money gets deposited on your bank account
Wonder if knocking off banks means you get your savings taken.
 

Grisby

Member
Shit, hope they increase the earnings in Online mode.
Is money hard to come by in the game like the reddit op is saying?
Unless you are playing the stock market it's a bit difficult. I imagine it might be easier online if all of your heists pay (something that the main game doesn't really do).

Sigh, I have a feeling it might be a grind to get a helicopter or something like that.
 
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