Rockstar’s ‘GTA’ 60-Car Garage, Import/Export Update Is Pretty Brutal On The Pocket, And It’s Players’ Fault

GTA Online just received another massive update, and it has so far gotten polarizing reviews from fans. After much speculations from the GTA community, the Import/Export update has finally rolled out, enabling players of the popular online game to expand their virtual criminal empires through the illicit trade of exotic and deadly vehicles. As much as the update is a pretty notable patch to the popular online game, however, numerous players have voiced out their complaints about the strings attached to the contents of the update.

The GTA Online Import/Export update is pretty huge, and it serves as a very notable extension to the CEO gameplay that debuted in Further Adventures in Finance and Felony. Rockstar has announced that with the Import/Export update, players would be able to acquire and sell luxury vehicles that were stolen or imported illegally. These vehicles could then be stored in a luxurious Executive Garage that is capable of holding as much as 60 vehicles. For all intents and purposes, Rockstar has made sure that the Import/Export update to GTA Online would be its classiest one yet.

One thing that has not sat well with numerous players of the online game, however, are the prices attached to the contents of the GTA Online Import/Export update. It’s not that the vehicular additions to the game are not compelling enough, it is simply the fact that everything in the update is just way too expensive. So expensive, in fact, that longtime players have begun accusing Rockstar of becoming like every other game company in the world, pandering to players who can dish out as much real-world money as possible and neglecting veteran gamers who have stuck with the franchise for years.

While the complaints about the GTA Online Import/Export update seem like whining on the part of longtime players, those who have voiced out their criticism actually have very valid points. After all, practically everything in the recent patch is extremely expensive, with some vehicles costing more than $5 million on their own. That’s more than half of a Megalodon Shark card just for one vehicle, and while the car in question is arguably the best in the game, justifying the price of the vehicle is quite difficult.

Even the 60-car Executive Garage, which is one of the most notable features of the Import/Export update, is extremely costly, with the entire investment for the showroom costing about $7 million, according to VG24/7. That’s two Whale Shark Cards on its own. Overall, longtime fans of the Grand Theft Auto franchise have begun feeling that Rockstar is starting to get a bit too greedy when it comes to milking its player base for profit.

One notable proof of this is the option to change the player’s appearance. The feature has finally been rolled out in the GTA Online Import/Export update after a long wait. But, as many would have guessed, accessing the new in-game feature requires a significant amount of money. How much exactly? Just a cool $100,000, which equates to a Red Shark card that costs $2.99. Of course, purchasing in-game currency with real-world money is fully optional, but considering that most of the really good content in the Import/Export update are very expensive, those unwilling to dish out the cash should prepare for a whole load of grinding.

The GTA Online Import/Export update has effectively split the online game’s community right down the middle, with numerous players crying foul over the seemingly overpriced in-game items and others stating that the costs associated with the patch are not as exploitative as it seems. Those among the latter have argued that GTA Online has always been friendly to players who do not invest real-world money for in-game cash and that the game’s grinding has become less tedious as of late. Regardless of this, however, the dissenting voices in the GTA Online Import/Export update remain very audible.

One thing that some longtime fans of the Grand Theft Auto franchise pointed out in discussions is the fact that the GTA Online Import/Export update is more of an effect rather than a cause. After all, a new breed of players has emerged in recent years. These players take the game’s mechanics like a science, practically releasing spreadsheet after spreadsheet of in-game strategies and tips to exploit the contents of the most recent patch. Doing so essentially takes the fun out of the game’s contents, and makes gamers who actually play the game for fun lag far behind. Thus, with its game practically being exploited, it appears that Rockstar has decided to strike back.

GTA Online remains a very strong title despite being a fairly old game. Rockstar’s constant updates have managed to keep the title constantly fresh, and the franchise itself commands a very strong and loyal player base. Unfortunately, it appears that a new system is emerging, and much like the entire premise of GTA, it seems to be targeted at one very notable thing – money. This time, however, it seems like loyal players would be the ones who are lined up to pay the price, quite literally.

[Featured Image by Rockstar Games]