The history of GTA Online updates: every DLC by year with release dates, what each one added, how Rockstar releases summer and winter updates and what is known about the next DLC as of November 2026.
When the next GTA Online update comes out
Data checked on November 13, 2026.
There is no official date: as of November 13, 2026, the Rockstar Newswire has neither an announcement nor a teaser of the next DLC. Right now the game is running an event with bonuses on Contact Missions and competitions, which lasts until December 2 - details on the GTA Online weekly update page.
Previous years’ schedule can serve as a guide. Here is how the last three major updates were announced:
| Update | First announced | Release | Announcement to release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agents of Sabotage | November 1, 2024 | December 10, 2024, Tuesday | ≈5.5 weeks |
| A Safehouse in the Hills | November 20, 2025 | December 10, 2025, Wednesday | ≈3 weeks |
| The Kortz Center Heist | June 17, 2026 | July 14, 2026, Tuesday | ≈4 weeks |
If Rockstar keeps the rhythm, the 2026 winter update would logically land in the first half of December, with an announcement in November. But that’s only a pattern, not a promise: 2026 is a special year, because GTA 6 comes out on November 19. Take-Two has said it will keep supporting GTA Online after that, but whether there will be a winter 2026 DLC hasn’t been officially stated.
Major updates go live at the same time on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. Part of the content doesn’t arrive on release day but every Thursday over the following weeks: new cars, modes, missions.
How Rockstar releases updates: major DLCs, patches and weekly events
GTA Online has three levels of changes, and they often get mixed up:
- Major update (DLC) - free, with a name and a trailer: a new business or heist, new characters, a few dozen cars. There are currently two of these a year.
- Patch (title update) - the game’s version number, for example 1.72 or 1.73. Major DLCs ship with a patch, but there are also fix-only patches.
- Weekly update - every Thursday: 2X-4X bonuses, discounts, a car on the podium. It adds almost no new content.
Between major DLCs Rockstar releases follow-ups (drip-feed). That’s how, for example, The Cluckin’ Bell Farm Raid arrived (March 7, 2024) after The Chop Shop, and the Mansion Raid mode (January 15, 2026) and the firefighter, forklift and paperboy jobs (January 29, 2026) after A Safehouse in the Hills. Seasonal events - Halloween, Festive Surprise, Lunar New Year - come back every year with new outfits and collectibles; more on them on the GTA Online collectibles page.
Every major GTA Online update: 2013-2019
| Year | Update | Date | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Beach Bum | Nov 19, 2013 | the first DLC: beach cars, weapons and clothing |
| 2013 | Deathmatch & Race Creators | Dec 11, 2013 | an editor for your own deathmatches and races |
| 2014 | Valentine’s Day Massacre | Feb 13, 2014 | a limited-time gangster pack, the Gusenberg Sweeper |
| 2014 | Business Update | Mar 4, 2014 | Alpha, Jester, Turismo R, Heavy Pistol and Special Carbine |
| 2014 | High Life | May 13, 2014 | a second apartment, new high-rises, the Zentorno |
| 2014 | I’m Not a Hipster | Jun 17, 2014 | retro cars and weapons |
| 2014 | San Andreas Flight School | Aug 19, 2014 | a flight school, the Besra and the Miljet |
| 2014 | Last Team Standing | Oct 2, 2014 | the team mode of the same name |
| 2015 | Heists | Mar 10, 2015 | five heists for 4 players |
| 2015 | Ill-Gotten Gains 1 & 2 | Jun 10 and Jul 8, 2015 | luxury cars; the last DLC for PS3 and Xbox 360 |
| 2015 | Freemode Events | Sep 15, 2015 | events in free mode |
| 2015 | Lowriders | Oct 20, 2015 | Benny’s Original Motor Works, Lamar’s missions |
| 2015 | Executives and Other Criminals | Dec 15, 2015 | CEO organizations, penthouses, the Galaxy Super Yacht |
| 2016 | Further Adventures in Finance and Felony | Jun 7, 2016 | the CEO Office and Special Cargo warehouses |
| 2016 | Cunning Stunts | Jul 12, 2016 | stunt races |
| 2016 | Bikers | Oct 4, 2016 | MC Clubhouses and five biker businesses |
| 2016 | Import/Export | Dec 13, 2016 | vehicle warehouses and special vehicles |
| 2017 | Special Vehicle Circuit | Mar 14, 2017 | races in special vehicles |
| 2017 | Gunrunning | Jun 13, 2017 | the Bunker and the MOC |
| 2017 | Smuggler’s Run | Aug 29, 2017 | the Hangar and air cargo smuggling |
| 2017 | The Doomsday Heist | Dec 12, 2017 | a three-act heist, the Facility |
| 2018 | Southern SA Super Sport Series | Mar 20, 2018 | Hotring stock car races |
| 2018 | After Hours | Jul 24, 2018 | the Nightclub, the Oppressor Mk II |
| 2018 | Arena War | Dec 11, 2018 | the arena and combat vehicles |
| 2019 | The Diamond Casino & Resort | Jul 23, 2019 | the casino and the Master Penthouse |
| 2019 | The Diamond Casino Heist | Dec 12, 2019 | the casino heist, the Arcade |
Every major GTA Online update: 2020-2026
| Year | Update | Date | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Los Santos Summer Special | Aug 11, 2020 | the A Superyacht Life yacht missions, more property slots |
| 2020 | The Cayo Perico Heist | Dec 15, 2020 | the island, the Kosatka, the first solo heist |
| 2021 | Los Santos Tuners | Jul 20, 2021 | the LS Car Meet and the Auto Shop |
| 2021 | The Contract | Dec 15, 2021 | Franklin’s Agency, Dr. Dre |
| 2022 | The Criminal Enterprises | Jul 26, 2022 | IAA missions, updates to older businesses |
| 2022 | Los Santos Drug Wars | Dec 13, 2022 | the Acid Lab and the First Dose missions |
| 2023 | San Andreas Mercenaries | Jun 13, 2023 | LSA Operations, higher collectible payouts |
| 2023 | The Chop Shop | Dec 12, 2023 | the Salvage Yard, police vehicles |
| 2024 | Bottom Dollar Bounties | Jun 25, 2024 | the Bail Office, Dispatch Work |
| 2024 | Agents of Sabotage | Dec 10, 2024 | FIB Files operations at the Garment Factory |
| 2025 | Oscar Guzman Flies Again | Mar 4, 2025 | the McKenzie Field Hangar; released together with GTA 5 Enhanced on PC |
| 2025 | Money Fronts | Jun 17, 2025 | a car wash, a dispensary and helicopter tours for "laundering" |
| 2025 | A Safehouse in the Hills | Dec 10, 2025 | mansions, the return of Michael De Santa |
| 2026 | The Kortz Center Heist | Jul 14, 2026 | a museum heist, the Art Studio in the mansion |
Dates are cross-checked against GTA Wiki (the updates page and patch notes) and Wikipedia. For Lowriders the sources disagree: Wikipedia’s text says October 10, the patch notes say October 20, 2015; we went with the patch date.
What the update history shows
Two a year since 2017. Until 2016 DLCs came out often but were small: a car pack, weapons, a mode. Starting with Gunrunning (2017), Rockstar switched to two major updates with a business or a heist: one in summer and one in December. The exception is 2025, when Oscar Guzman Flies Again came out in between, timed to GTA 5 Enhanced on PC.
December is for heists. The Doomsday Heist, Diamond Casino Heist, Cayo Perico and The Contract all came out in December. Summer more often brings cars and businesses: After Hours, Tuners, Criminal Enterprises, Money Fronts. The Kortz Center Heist in July 2026 broke that rule.
Tuesday, not Thursday. Weekly events start on Thursday, but since 2016, 24 of the 27 major updates came out on a Tuesday. The exceptions: Diamond Casino Heist (Thursday, Dec 12, 2019), The Contract (Wednesday, Dec 15, 2021) and A Safehouse in the Hills (Wednesday, Dec 10, 2025).
What’s outdated in older guides. Updates change older content too: San Andreas Mercenaries raised collectible payouts, while The Kortz Center Heist cut Cayo Perico and casino payouts and introduced a bonus for the first heist completion of the week. So check which patch a guide was written after. Current payouts are on the GTA Online heists page.
GTA Online updates FAQ
When is the next GTA Online update coming out?
There’s no official date as of November 13, 2026. Going by previous years, the winter DLC came out between December 10 and 15, with the announcement in November, but Rockstar hasn’t confirmed this.
What is the latest GTA Online update?
The Kortz Center Heist, July 14, 2026 (patch 1.73): a heist on the Kortz Center museum run from the Art Studio in your mansion. How to complete it is in the Kortz Center Heist guide.
What time do GTA Online updates go live?
Rockstar doesn’t publish the exact time. According to guides, major DLCs and weekly bonuses appear around 10:00 UTC - 5:00 a.m. ET in winter. Servers may be unavailable right before release.
Will GTA Online keep getting updates after GTA 6 comes out?
Take-Two has said it will keep supporting GTA Online after GTA 6 launches. How often new DLCs will come out hasn’t been officially stated. Rockstar hasn’t announced character transfers from GTA Online to GTA 6 either.
Do GTA Online updates cost money?
No, every DLC is free. You only pay for in-game content with in-game currency. The GTA+ subscription gives discounts and bonuses, but you don’t need it to access DLCs. Prices for the game and the subscription are on the GTA Online price page.
Sources
- Official: Rockstar Games, Rockstar Newswire, Rockstar Support, Take-Two Interactive
- Databases and guides: GTABase, GTA Wiki, GTA BOOM, PowerPyx
- Press: GamesRadar, PC Gamer, IGN, VGC, Game Informer
Every fact is checked against official sources or at least two independent ones; player-sourced data is labelled in the text. Images are official Rockstar Games material. GTA Top is not affiliated with Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive.