To date, Rockstar Games has not indicated that they plan to shut down GTA Online when Grand Theft Auto VI comes out. For more than a decade, the online mode of GTA V has been massive, and Rockstar has continually provided support to older titles while players continue to play them. Given the tremendous success of the game, it would almost be impossible for the company to drop it after the release of the Grand Theft Auto 6. The newest entry in the series could, however, be backed by Rockstar with the updates and content necessary for GTA Online.

According to the past trends, Rockstar will sooner or later replace their support for old platforms. Take, for example, GTA Online, which cancelled PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 services in 2021, several years after the game's launch. That means that even while the game is likely to stay available on newer platforms, older hardware might slowly be forgotten over time.

If GTA 6 does indeed feature a new online mode, the player base may eventually lose interest in GTA Online, forcing them to switch to it eventually. GTA Online microtransactions make so much money, so it's highly unlikely that Rockstar would just forget about its loyal online community. However, there may be a co-existing period in which both games will be available to play before the last transition. As Rockstar reveals more details closer to the release of GTA 6, more details will be clear.

FAQs

Will GTA Online shut down when GTA 6 launches?

Rockstar has not announced the shutdown of it.

Will older consoles lose access?

As Rockstar's past rolling releases indicate, perhaps.

Will GTA 6 have its online mode?

It is highly likely.

Will Rockstar continue updating GTA Online?

For the foreseeable future, yes.