GTA 6's hidden auto-renew subscription could end up costing you $100 a year
It's happening, it's finally happening. While Grand Theft Auto V has given us 13 years of loyal service, the gaming world is bracing for the imminent release of GTA VI.
The long-awaited return to Vice City has been shunted from its original release date, but with November 19 locked in, some companies are even closing because they know staff will be bunking off to play.
With reports that GTA VI has amassed over 40 million pre-orders and made a cool $3.2 billion before it's even released, it's clear that many in the gaming industry have underestimated a title that's tipped to be the biggest video game of all time.
With GTA Online helping GTA V become the most profitable entertainment product of all time, its successor is poised to blow it out of the water.
Advert
It's not plain sailing, and away from the aforementioned release delays, Rockstar Games has come under fire because neither the $79.99 Standard Edition nor the $99.999 Ultimate Edition comes with a physical disc.
Just as the dust seems to die down on that drama, there's a potential auto-renew scandal to deal with.
Watch out for GTA VI's auto-renew fine print
Rockstar has done a good job of trying to persuade us to upgrade to GTA VI’s Ultimate Edition, with certain features like missions, vehicles, and shops locked behind this paywall.
Still, it's been promoting pre-order bonuses, which include a free month of GTA+. A bit like the Fortnite Crew subscription service, this is what's helped GTA V remain so popular for over a decade.
As well as a monthly deposit of $500,000 into their in-game Maze Bank account, GTA+ subscribers also get access to the exclusive Vinewood Club garage, VIP abilities, the chance to purchase special GTA+ Shark Cards, and more.
This GTA+ bonus suggests we'll effectively get a month of free access to whatever GTA Online's evolution is, but buyer beware.
In the fine print, we're warned that the typical $7.99 price of GTA+ will auto-renew unless cancelled. Considering that $7.99 works out at nearly $100 a year, the fact that you could be effectively paying double to play GTA VI in the first year is a pretty big cause for concern.
There appears to be a lot of confusion, and while it's true you won't automatically be signed up to GTA+ unless you choose to redeem the free month, critics have branded the concept as 'scummy' due to the potential that it's easy to forget to cancel the auto-renewal.
How to cancel GTA+
Over on ResetEra, one critic complained: "It's a genuine concern as it will catch lots of people out. It's a free thing they send you - if you use it, it's very much *not* free. And a lot of people will forget and get billed."
Another grumbled: "Will not redeem it. Won't have to cancel a sub I don't use. Never touched GTA Online. Right?"
A third was less harsh as they concluded: "This is every free trial throughout history - it's scummy but expected."
Even though we imagine many will redeem their free month as soon as GTA VI boots up, the fact that you can use the perk up until March 31, 2027, means many are likely to forget. If you redeem later, it's even more likely that you might forget to cancel before the auto-renewal kicks in at the end of your free month.
The official GTA+ page reiterates that you can cancel at any time, done through the store you originally bought your subscription from. Benefits will remain active until the end of your subscription, but after that point, you'll be locked out of them.
Various platforms have different ways to cancel, but for PlayStation, navigate to your PlayStation Store account on your console and head to the Subscriptions section to cancel. For Xbox owners, go to Profile & system > Settings, then similarly choose Subscriptions.
On PC, load the official Rockstar Games website, log in to your account, then manage your membership via the Rockstar Store GTA+ Management page.
Your entry to GTA+ might be free, but if you're not careful, it won't stay that way for long.