Summary
Grand Theft Auto Onlinehas been among the most popular titles in gaming since it launched nearly a decade ago. As the years passed, gaming’s landscape continued to evolve. However,GTA Onlinekept pace, becoming a template, and pioneer, formodern gaming’s live-service era. Another of these pioneers is theDestinyfranchise, whose rotating merchant, Xur, has long provided the series with variety, and its players with a means of obtaining powerful gear and weapons. Even when during lulls in content, Xur provides Guardians with the opportunity to receive weapons from prior seasons, events, and expansions. Taking note ofDestiny 2’s merchant and his continued appeal,GTA Onlinehas introduced its own version of the feature, allowing its players to do business with developer Rockstar Games' version of a rotating merchant: the Gun Van.
Grand Theft Auto Onlinelaunched in October 2013, two weeks after the release ofGrand Theft Auto 5. A decade later, the game continues to gain players and set the bar for massive online multiplayer titles. This success may be among the reasons that a follow-up toGrand Theft Auto 5has taken so long to surface, as many developers have been shifting towards the live-service model, rather than releasing new offline titles. However, that era appears to be winding down, as a slew of planned and active live-service titles have been canceled unceremoniously in 2023.
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GTA Online Has Introduced a Unique Spin on Xur
Destiny 2’s Xurstill boasts massive appeal amongDestiny’s fanbase, as he offers beginners and veterans alike a means of improving their build and experimenting with the title’s strongest weapons.Destiny 2has experienced multiple full expansions and seasonal events, many of which introduced exotic or high-tier weapons, before locking them away. Xur provides another shot at these items by offering a slew of weapons and armor pieces each weekend. Beyond this, Xur allows Guardians a chance to improve their build by acquiring an exotic for different slots in their equipment, which is critical, asDestiny 2restricts players to equipping one exotic item at a time.
Recognizing the appeal of a rotating vendor, and its benefits for players of all experience levels,GTA Onlinerecently introduced the Gun Van. The feature was announced in January 2023 and, like Xur, will require players to locate the merchant within the game’s world, rewarding them with a chance to purchase extremely powerful weapons at a discount. Players of all experience levels can utilize the Gun Van, as it sells its wares with no rank requirements. Since its release, the Gun Van has offered incredible weapons, including the Railgun and Unholy Hellbringer.
GTA Online’s Gun Van Bids Well for Its Future
While other live service titles have come and gone,GTA Onlineis still looking toward the future. IfGTA Online’s recent Independence Day Eventis any indication, the game still has plenty of life left in it. The event allowed players to find a host of free items and weapons. It also introduced the Finders Keepers dynamic event, where players could track down other vans to bolster their supplies or sell the vans for cash. Events like this, coupled with brand-new mechanics, such as the Gun Van, display Rockstar’s investment in the future. The updates' positive reception and continued success display fans' investment in the same.
Players interested in taking advantage of the Gun Van should know that it changes locations every day, taking full advantage ofGTA Online’s sprawling map. Luckily, various fan communities and sites track its location, making the search as easy or hard as players wish for it to be. Time will tell howGTA Onlinewill continue to adapt to the changing landscape, but all signs point to Rockstar Games' capacity to roll with the punches. UntilGrand Theft Auto 6is finally announced, fans can take confidence thatGTA Onlinewill provide plenty to do in the meantime.
Grand Theft Auto Onlineis available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
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