Starting out in GTA 5 Online on Steam can be overwhelming. With a vast open world, countless activities, and a thriving player community, knowing where to begin and how to progress efficiently is crucial. This guide provides essential tips for new players on Steam looking to make money, level up, and establish themselves in the world of GTA Online without falling into common beginner traps.
Snacks are your lifeline in GTA 5 Online, especially during intense firefights. Always stock up on snacks from convenience stores. During combat, you can quickly consume snacks from the interaction menu while behind cover, bypassing lengthy animations and keeping your health topped up.
Character using snacks in GTA 5 Online combat for health regeneration
Gaining an Edge: Early Weapons Access
In the initial stages of GTA 5 Online, weapon availability is level-locked. However, you can bypass these restrictions and gain access to powerful weapons earlier than intended. By visiting another player’s high-end properties like a Yacht, Facility, Bunker, or Nightclub basement, you can often find weapon spawns that are normally inaccessible to low-level players. This provides a significant advantage in early missions and freeroam encounters.
Character acquiring advanced weaponry from another player's property in GTA 5 Online
Secure a Free Car and Your First Ride
Link your Rockstar Social Club account to your Gta 5 Online Steam account to claim the Elegy RH8 for free. This sports car is a solid starting vehicle and performs well in races and general travel. You can customize it at Los Santos Customs to further enhance its appearance and performance without spending your hard-earned cash on a new vehicle right away. Alternatively, steal any car off the street and make it your personal vehicle at Los Santos Customs as a budget-friendly option.
A player obtains the free Elegy RH8 car in GTA 5 Online by linking their Social Club account
The Importance of Owning a Boat Early On
Having a boat in GTA 5 Online is more useful than you might initially think. Boats provide quick access to offshore missions, allow for faster travel across water bodies, and are essential for certain mission types. Acquiring a boat early will significantly ease your navigation and mission completion, especially as you progress through the game.
A player navigates the waters of GTA 5 Online in a personal boat
Smart Spending: What to Avoid Buying Early
When starting GTA 5 Online on Steam, it’s tempting to splurge on expensive items. However, smart investments are key to long-term success. Avoid purchasing vehicles or items from Warstock Cache & Carry in the early game unless specifically recommended. Focus on businesses and assets that generate consistent income first. Resist the urge to buy expensive cars just for show; prioritize income generation before indulging in luxury vehicles.
Respect and Profit: Don’t Grief Other Players
Attacking other players or destroying their cargo in Freemode might seem tempting for quick rewards, but it’s generally counterproductive. The monetary and RP gains are minimal (only 2k and some RP), and it often leads to retaliation from other players. Griefing can quickly escalate, resulting in you being targeted repeatedly, potentially even by orbital cannons, ultimately disrupting your gameplay and wasting time. Focus on cooperative gameplay and your own business progression instead.
A player engaging in peaceful business activities in GTA 5 Online, contrasting with griefing
Warehouse Wisdom: Two Large Warehouses are Optimal
Cargo Warehouses are a great way to make money, but avoid overspending on too many. Owning two large warehouses is an efficient strategy. When one warehouse is on cooldown after sourcing cargo, you can immediately switch to sourcing cargo for the second warehouse. Purchasing more than two large warehouses is unnecessary and inefficient due to the cooldown periods, representing a poor investment of your initial capital.
Hangar Hindsight: Not a Beginner’s Business
The Hangar business is often misleading for new players. Unless you consistently play with at least two other people to assist with supply missions, the Hangar is not a worthwhile investment early on. Supply missions are challenging to complete solo, and sell missions can be time-consuming and tedious without a dedicated team.
The Hangar business in GTA 5 Online, less suitable for solo beginners
Nightclub Nuance: Invest Later, Not Sooner
The Nightclub is a popular business, but it’s a common mistake for beginners to purchase it first. To maximize the Nightclub’s profitability, you need to have at least five other businesses actively running. Buying the Nightclub prematurely is essentially wasting money that could be better invested in establishing those foundational businesses.
Bunker Blunder: Paleto Bay is Fine, Don’t Upgrade
If you received the Paleto Bay Bunker as part of the Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack, resist the urge to upgrade it. While the location is geographically less convenient, upgrading it is not recommended, especially for your first Bunker. Furthermore, bunker upgrades are not transferable if you decide to relocate to a better-positioned bunker later on.
The Power of Friendship and Crew
Making friends in GTA 5 Online significantly enhances your gameplay experience. Friends can protect you from aggressive players, assist with heists and business operations, and overall make the game more enjoyable. Don’t hesitate to ask for help in sessions or join a crew to find reliable players to team up with for grinding and heists.
Players cooperating and having fun together in GTA 5 Online, highlighting the benefits of teamwork
Helpful Items for Later Purchase
While not essential at the very beginning, certain items can greatly improve your efficiency and survivability as you progress. Consider acquiring these later in your GTA Online journey:
- Scuba Suit: Enables faster underwater swimming and eliminates the need for rebreathers, useful for specific missions and exploration. Purchase it from clothing stores.
A character equipped with a Scuba Suit for underwater activities in GTA 5 Online
- Night Vision Goggles: Improves visibility during nighttime missions and operations. Available at Ammu-Nation.
Night Vision Goggles enhancing visibility in a dark GTA 5 Online environment
- Thermal Goggles: Highlights enemies by their heat signature, extremely advantageous in combat situations. Found in clothing stores as Quad Lens Combat Helmets. Activate their features in the interaction menu.
Thermal Goggles highlighting heat signatures of enemies for tactical advantage in GTA 5 Online
Vehicles to Enhance Your Grind (Later Investments)
These vehicles are not starter necessities, but they will significantly speed up your money-making process and mission completion as you establish your GTA Online empire. Invest in these when you feel ready to optimize your grind:
- Armored Kuruma: Provides excellent bullet protection and good performance, making missions in hostile environments much safer and easier.
The Armored Kuruma, a highly bullet-resistant vehicle for safer missions in GTA 5 Online
- Cargobob: Essential for Vehicle Cargo missions, allowing you to efficiently airlift vehicles to your warehouse, minimizing damage and NPC encounters.
The Cargobob helicopter, ideal for Vehicle Cargo missions in GTA 5 Online
- Buzzard Attack Chopper: A versatile helicopter with machine guns and homing missiles, perfect for quickly traversing the map and efficiently completing missions. CEOs and VIPs can spawn it nearby for free, or spawn your owned Buzzard for free; otherwise, it’s a 25k spawn cost.
The Buzzard Attack Chopper, a versatile and powerful aircraft for GTA 5 Online missions
- MOC (Mobile Operations Center) Phantom Wedge: For Gunrunning cargo, the Phantom Wedge allows you to plow through traffic and obstacles, making deliveries faster and safer from player interference on the map.
The MOC Phantom Wedge, used for efficient and safe cargo deliveries in GTA 5 Online
- Rhino Tank: Invaluable for business raids, the Rhino tank offers extreme protection against both bullets and missiles, ensuring you can defend your businesses without the risk of losing valuable stock.
The Rhino Tank, providing heavy armor for business defense in GTA 5 Online
- Ruiner 2000: One of the few weaponized vehicles allowed in heists, the Ruiner 2000 features accurate missiles, boost, and good handling, making it effective in various mission scenarios.
The Ruiner 2000, a weaponized vehicle suitable for heists and missions in GTA 5 Online
- Oppressor Mk II: A flying bike equipped with missiles, countermeasures, and boost, the Oppressor Mk II is arguably the most versatile vehicle for grinding in GTA Online. It requires a Terrorbyte and Nightclub to unlock missile capabilities.
The Oppressor Mk II, a highly versatile flying bike for efficient grinding in GTA 5 Online
- Terrorbyte: A mobile command center that allows you to launch sourcing missions for various businesses without traveling to their physical locations. It also offers Client Jobs and can be used to evade wanted levels, streamlining your grinding process significantly.
By prioritizing these smart investments and gameplay strategies, new players on GTA 5 Online Steam can efficiently build their criminal empire and enjoy the vast world of Los Santos. Remember to focus on establishing income streams before splurging on cosmetic items, and always be mindful of your interactions with other players to ensure a positive and productive online experience. Don’t hesitate to connect with other players for cooperative gameplay and mutual support in the world of GTA Online.
