GTA V Receives BattlEye Anti-Cheat System on PC Nearly a Decade After Release

Nine years have passed since the release of Grand Theft Auto V on PC, and Rockstar has recently introduced an official anti-cheat solution for the game. Now, GTA Online, the multiplayer component of this immensely popular action-adventure title, utilizes the kernel-level service BattlEye Anti-Cheat.

While the anti-cheat solution can be disabled, doing so restricts players to only the Story Mode. Below is the complete changelog of the latest update:

Integration of BattlEye Anti-Cheat for GTA Online

A new option is available in the Rockstar Games Launcher to deactivate BattlEye Anti-Cheat for Story Mode gameplay

The launch argument -nobattleye has been introduced to disable BattlEye Anti-Cheat when necessary, applicable to third-party launchers and Story Mode

Resolved an issue leading to crashes during GTA Online gameplay

Addressed a problem preventing players from accepting invites or joining others

The impact of this update on the extensive modding community around Grand Theft Auto V remains uncertain. However, it is expected that the anti-cheat will effectively eliminate most, if not all, script-based users exploiting the online environment for easy in-game currency and items. Additionally, the new system is currently preventing Steam Deck and Linux players from accessing the game.

A dedicated support page has been provided for GTA Online players encountering issues with the installation or functionality of BattlEye. Rockstar has indicated that software such as ReShade and Special_K, along with antivirus programs like AVG and Trend Micro, may interfere with BattlEye operations.

A leftover metadata file indicates Rockstar has been working on a Gen9 version of #GTAV for PC since earlier this year. The inclusion of BattlEye could be interpreted as preparations for the Gen9 version’s arrival on PC.

— Tez2 (@TezFunz2) September 17, 2024

Moreover, it seems Rockstar might be gearing up to enhance the PC version with upgrades akin to those found in the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 versions, which could include ray tracing features, improved textures, extended draw distances, and more. This information comes from dataminer Tez, who has been analyzing the latest changes in the update.

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