 Grand Theft Auto Online launched on 1 October 2013 , two weeks after Grand Theft Auto V 's release . Many players reported connection difficulties and game freezes during load screens . Rockstar released a technical patch on 5 October in an effort to resolve the issues , but problems persisted the second week following launch as some players reported their character progress as having disappeared . Another technical patch was released on 10 October combating the issues and Rockstar offered a GTA $ 500 @,@ 000 ( in @-@ game currency ) stimulus to the accounts of all players connected to Online since launch as recompense . Because of the widespread technical issues present at launch , many reviewers bemoaned their experience with Grand Theft Auto Online , but generally recognised the open @-@ ended exploration and dynamic content as its strength . 
