Taking advantage of exploits in online video games to cheat or benefit is never welcome. Some game developers take it more seriously than others, however. Rockstar Games clearly takes it very seriously. It’s being reported that someGrand Theft Auto Onlineplayers who recently took advantage of the so-called “Casino Chip Glitch” are now facing severe consequences. They’re having their entireGrand Theft Auto Onlineaccounts wiped, from cash to characters.
The report comes from Twitter user Tez2, well-known for trackingGrand Theft Auto Onlinenews and leaked information. Tez2 initially reported that “Rockstar is in [the] process of resetting #GTAOnline characters, progress and inventory of all the players who have done the casino chip glitch.“Rockstarhas since confirmed.
RELATED:GTA Online is Giving Players Free In-Game Money Again
Normally, cheaters and exploiters wouldn’t get so much attention thrown toward their punishment. However, a full account wipe is an escalation in severity compared to what Rockstar has previously done. The typical punishment forsimilarGTA Onlineexploitsis a simple wipe of the player’s cash store. Of course, this isn’t much of a punishment. Players would exploit to get a ton of money, go on a buying spree, and then would hunt for the next exploit afterward. A step up in severity would definitely be appropriate.
It doesn’t seem that Rockstar is fully committing to more severe penalties for exploiters inGrand Theft Auto Online, however. Tez2 later corrected that they’d heard reports that many players were only receivingcash wipesand not full account wipes. The ratio of cash wipes to full resets isn’t clear, but is likely tied to the severity of abuse and an account’s history of infractions.
Rockstar even issued a response to questions regarding its punishment forcasino chipselling abuse. Rockstar says that its policy is to either remove funds from exploiting accounts or to have those accounts' characters reset. Rockstar also warns that further abuse will result in suspensions or permanent bans.
No one is likely to cry for cheating accounts gettingseverely punished inGrand Theft Auto Online, or in any other game for that matter. It’s still interesting to see Rockstar seemingly escalate its efforts against exploiters, though. Considering how often exploits seem to crop up, it’ll be best for Rockstar to set a firm example going forward. If earning in-game cash seems a little too easy, it probably is an exploit. Don’t take the risk.
Grand Theft Auto Onlineis available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
