GTA Online's Arena War update adds Mad Max-style vehicles
Witness me.
Don't worry GTA Online players - Rockstar hasn't completely forgotten about you in its rush to tighten up Red Dead Online (which still seems to be something of a work in progress). The latest update - which arrives sometime today - is all about death vehicles and gladiatorial arenas, and almost sounds like enough excitement to get me to ditch my horse for some wheels again. Almost.
According to Rockstar's official post, the aptly-named Arena War update will allow players to "compete in all new vehicle types" inside the "stratospheric dome of the Maze Bank Arena". There's going to be seven new game modes, and combat will revolve around customising your vehicle with various deadly weapons. I'm guessing from the description and image that includes flamethrowers, tank turrets and miniguns. Overkill? Nah.
It also sounds like the arena will have its own progression system, as players will be able to earn "Arena Points" to "rank up and unlock even more toys to take into the Arena or out onto the streets". If the modded vehicles are allowed onto the streets, the citizens of Los Santos are in for a real treat.
Rockstar hasn't detailed whether the arena's currency and progression system will be isolated from the rest of the GTA Online economy (ie. if you'll be able to use cash to purchase arena items), so that will be something to keep an eye on when the update rolls out later today. And, if you can't quite hang on for a couple of hours, some of the new vehicles appear to have been datamined and posted on Reddit. With the promise of fire and steel carnage, Arena War at least seems like a good way to fill the hole in my heart left by Robot Wars. RIP.