Many fans’ excitement and anticipation were piqued by the recent Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) trailer, and while watching has made me pumped for 2025, it also unfurled one painful memory.
Back in 2016, three friends and I decided to take on one of GTA Online’s multiplayer heist missions, The Pacific Standard Job. With the aim of setting up and finally executing a high-stakes bank heist, there was $1,250,000 on the line, and we had all night to complete it. ‘What could go wrong?’ you ask. Well, it turns out that with my group of friends at the wheel, everything.
Fast forward four hours into the heist, and we still haven’t managed to pull off the job. Heists should normally take around 30 minutes plus a little extra time for the setup. However, we were foolishly hell-bent on getting out with at least $1 million, a task that shouldn’t have been that hard - but was for us and our bad habits. Unfortunately, the more damage you take, the more money you lose, and thanks to a loose cannon on the team and some dwindling patience elsewhere in the crew, we found ourselves tired, angry, and still trying to finish the heist.
Eventually, we all decided that the goal didn’t matter anymore; we’d be happy with whatever cash we could scrape together and just wanted it finished. Famous last words. With almost all our money gone, one of my friends drives off on a stolen motorbike only to speed straight through a T-junction and end up in a ball of fire, taking the rest of our money with him. At this point, all we could do was look on in disbelief with our heads in our hands. When asked how he ended up burnt to a crisp, his only response was, “I closed my eyes because I thought I was going to crash.” Needless to say, we finished the night quickly after this and took home the minimum payout.
Best enjoyed with friends
For such reasons, my favorite part about GTA 5 and GTA Online was always the group heists. While my gang may not have had the best track record completing them, it always provided some guaranteed fun. Apart from the Pacific Standard Job, heists like Cayo Perico and Diamond Casino were always a thrill ride with realistic and straightforward prep missions.
I can't wait to see what all the Vice City-buzz is about for myself
While you could argue all day about which heist comes out on top (it’s Cayo Perico), I always just enjoyed trying to complete the missions with my friends, as that was challenging enough. It’s this kind of team effort - or trouble - that I can’t wait to experience again in GTA 6.
GTA 6 will also be the first time that I have experienced the iconic Vice City; I was only two years old when the fourth GTA was released. As GTA: Vice City is known for having arguably one of the best heists in the franchise, The Malibu Club, mostly thanks to its upbeat and entertaining participants, there’s already a tantalizing precedent set by the location itself.
With a lot to live up to, I can't wait to see what all the Vice City-buzz is about for myself, with all my mates by my side messing up heists and crashing motorbikes, just like in the old days.
If you’re still wrestling with GTA 5 and GTA Online’s heists, then be sure to check out GTA 5 characters: a breakdown of who’s who and GTA 5 money: how to make cash.
