Why GTA Online beginners should stay away from high level players

GTA Online players attain ranks that act as a way to measure their progression. There can be players with distinct rankings in a single session, from a level 1 beginner to a level 8000 veteran. However, not everything is exactly what it seems in the game.

Players, especially beginners, should know more about high-ranking players in the game and why it might be wise to stay away from them. The reason isn't simply due to the difference in rank, but the chances of them being hackers.

Note: This article reflects the writer's opinions.

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Why should GTA Online newcomers avoid high-level players?

What is rank in GTA Online, and how do players gain it?

GTA Online, at its core, is essentially an MMORPG (massively multiplayer online roleplaying game). Players create their own characters, apply specific attributes to them, and try to make it big in the virtual world. The primary purpose is to gain more money and property, and with every job comes experience.

With this experience, players level up their ranks, and it becomes a simple way to determine a player's skill or level of expertise. The more they play, the faster they level up. This rank also acts as a warning. Not every player in the game will play it fair.

There are countless hackers in the PC edition of the game, and most of them are high-ranked players. They attain this rank through hacking, and as such, their rank acts as a deterrent for other players.

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High-ranking players could be hackers

Players should always be cautious of those who have ranks of over 1000. The maximum level is 8000, which is nearly impossible to reach using normal methods. Players need to earn around 50 million RP to get rank 1000, and it can take years to do so.

Hence, most players with absurdly high ranks in the game are very likely to be hackers. Anything above Rank 200 is merely cosmetic in GTA Online. This is because all stat upgrades and item unlocks can be acquired by this level.

Rank 750 is the final level where the game makes any change. This is when a gold icon will show the player's rank.

Hence, it makes no sense for any player to be grinding for Rank 8000 in the game. However, this is relatively easy to achieve with hacking, as hackers often run programs that exploit the game's data.

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Why is it bad to be around such players?

When players come across such hackers, their main concern is that they may result in the player being banned. They can deposit a large sum of money into the account of a random player, and while this may appear to be rewarding, it typically results in bans.

While Rockstar assures players that no ban is unintentional, proving this, or even the inverse, is difficult. Even if it wasn't done on purpose, players could be banned for having a large sum of money added to their accounts.

In the past, players have been banned for using in-game exploits that had nothing to do with hacking.

Another reason for avoiding higher-level players (not necessarily ranked above 1000) is the fear of being griefed. The temptation to be a griefer leads to a never-ending cycle of griefing in GTA Online. High-ranked players might take advantage of the bonuses with a higher rank and grief newcomers.

However, this isn't guaranteed, and griefers can also be low-to-medium ranked players. GTA Online beginners should never forget that anyone with an unrealistically high level is a major red flag.