THE next Grand Theft Auto game will introduce an in-game cryptocurrency to the franchise, according to rumours.
Contractors will reportedly pay the player with the virtual cash when they need to make discreet, untraceable payments.
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The news comes from Twitter user Tom Henderson, who frequently leaks details about upcoming games.
Earlier this month, he said that in Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6), some missions will reward you with in-game “Bitcoin” instead of cash.
Obviously, the cryptocurrency will only exist within the game itself and will not be spendable in the real world.
“The stock market feature will return, with the addition of a broker for different cryptocurrencies,” Tom tweeted.
“If GTA 6 incorporates this right, it’s huge for crypto.”
It’s the latest in a string of rumours and so-called leaks about the hotly-anticipated crime simulator from American developer Rockstar.
Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA:V) came out way back in 2013, so gamers are desperate for a new entry to the series.
But Rockstar and parent company Take Two are playing their cards close to their chest, keeping details of the yet-to-be-announced title a secret.
According to leaker Tom, cryptocurrency payments will only come from the game’s more senior gangsters.
“These payments will come from the more higher up characters that need to transfer high amounts of ‘untraceable cash and fast’,” he tweeted.
“This is what I heard from a someone that I trust and it will likely not be called ‘Bitcoin’ per say – But it will be a cryptocurrency.”
It’s unclear where Tom got his information from, so take it with a pinch of salt for now.
We likely won’t know anything concrete on GTA 6 until Rockstar officially announces the game ahead of its rumoured 2023 launch.
If the rumour is true, it potentially marks a pivot by Rockstar towards more realistic methods of payments in its multi-billion-dollar franchise.
Cryptocurrencies are popular among gangsters and crime lords today because they’re anonymous and difficult to trace.
Given Bitcoin’s rise to prominence in recent years, we’d be surprised if some form of cryptocurrency didn’t show up in the next instalment of GTA.
The franchise is well-known for reflecting (and ferociously mocking) famous figures and pop culture at the time of each game’s release.
Last year, alleged details about GTA 6 surfaced online.
A purported former employee of Rockstar leaked apparent info about the game, including the names of the main characters.
