An account that monitors Rockstar Games titles is warningGrand Theft Auto Onlineplayers about new PC exploits that allow hackers to remotely crash other players, even when playing single-player mode. Even at nearly a decade old the online mode forGrand Theft Auto 5remains a hit with players and a cash cow for developer Rockstar Games, which just released the first in a series of patches bringingmajor improvements toGTA Online.Originally released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2014,Grand Theft Auto Onlineis the online portion of Rockstar’s smash hitGTA 5and allows players to engage in the series’ trademark mayhem in a multiplayer version of San Andreas. Featuring a wide variety of different missions for players to take part in,GTA Onlineallows players to create their own fun as they build their criminal empire.GTA Onlinehas also developed a passionate role-playing community, and the game boasts numerous servers filled with gamers taking on the roles of normal people. ProminentGTA OnlineRP streamer Shotzthreatened fellow streamer Penta with legal action recently, accusing the latter of making unauthorized use of Shotz’s voice in their stream alerts.RELATED:Hilarious GTA Online Video Shows Player Get Stuck Under a Plane After LandingIn a new Tweet posted by TezFunz2, an account that monitors Rockstar Games titles, players were warned about exploits found in the PC version ofGTA Onlinethat allow hackers to crash or kick other players. The exploits can be triggered remotely in any game mode orGTA Onlinelobby type, meaning that hackers can crash players even in single-player mode, and it was recommended that gamers use a firewall while playingGTA Onlineto protect themselves. While fans of Rockstar Games’ online title are used to experiencing occasionalglitches inGTA Online, these malicious exploits can ruin the game for those affected.

Several users responding to the warning shared stories of being randomly kicked fromGrand Theft Auto Onlineand speculated whether they had been victims of the exploit. Other comments proposed workarounds for avoiding becoming a victim of the exploit, such as using a VPN to attempt to hide their machine from potential attackers, but TezFunz2 stated that using a firewall that can block connections is currently the only method that has been tested and proven to work. Follow-up tweets from TezFunz2 indicated that Rockstar Games was aware of the issue, but no timetable was provided for a fix.

For PC players just looking to enjoy some lawless fun with friends, thisGTA Onlinebug is sure to be an unwelcome annoyance. While players can still protect themselves from the exploit with a firewall, such a major bug in the fan-favorite title may have some gamers worried that Rockstar has shifted all of its attention to thehighly anticipatedGrand Theft Auto 6​​​​​​.

Grand Theft Auto Onlineis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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