Insider denies GTA 6 leak that Rockstar will use cryptocurrency as payment for missions

An earlier GTA 6 leak suggested that the Rockstar Games title would employ cryptocurrency for mission rewards. Developers could have capitalized on the Bitcoin craze while adding authenticity to modern criminal transactions. However, Tom Henderson of Insider Gaming now believes the game will use more traditional payment methods.

Cash still king in GTA 6?

In 2021, Henderson hinted that digital currency was coming to the next Grand Theft Auto. The transactions would be strictly in-game, limited to characters hoping to elude authorities. Also, cryptocurrency could have been integrated into the stock market feature available in GTA 5.

Unfortunately, gamers expecting to trade on the blockchain in GTA 6 received bad news. Henderson recently provided an update, explaining that the crypto plan was “scrapped years ago.”

Some players thought that crypto would also transform microtransactions in GTA Online. Currently, players can accumulate GTA$ by purchasing shark cards with real money. They can then avoid hours of tedious gameplay required to stockpile funds. Gamers taking shortcuts have generated $9.72 billion in revenue for the franchise since GTA 5 debuted in 2013.

How crypto could change gaming

Despite that success, individuals believed the upcoming title would introduce its own bitcoin. There was even speculation that GTA 6 release date delays gave the developers more time to fulfill their wishes. The implications promise to go beyond just providing an alternative to credit and bank cards. Supporters envision using NFTs to buy, sell, and trade in-game items in a lucrative new digital marketplace.

Rockstar appears hesitant to welcome this form of trading. With the long wait for its game, meme coins based on the series have exploited unsuspecting investors. To avoid lawsuits and controversy, it has also banned GTA Online servers that offer crypto assets.

Always monitoring societal trends, the studio’s writers may reference cryptocurrency. Still, with Henderson’s GTA 6 leak update, it’s unlikely to serve a major role.