Adin Ross, one of the popular Kick streamers, has big plans: a "Grand Theft Auto 6" role-playing server that incorporates cryptocurrency. In partnership with gaming influencer and FaZe Clan co-founder Richard "FaZe Banks" Bengtson, Ross has plans for a completely crypto-driven in-game economy.
However, this strict stance taken by Rockstar Games regarding cryptocurrency, especially when it comes to its multiplayer setting, is a serious barrier that could bring their ambitious project down before it has started.
Why Adin Ross' Crypto 'GTA 6' Server May Get Banned
Though Ross and Banks are excited to create their custom "GTA 6" server with a "newly made coin," history says Rockstar will not allow it, Decrypt learns.
"When GTA 6 drops, me and Ricky are going to make the biggest server together," Ross said during a recent livestream. "And I promise you, it's going to be completely crypto. Everything pro-crypto about it. It's going to change the game."
In 2022, Rockstar Games officially banned cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and other cryptocurrency assets from "Grand Theft Auto Online" and "Red Dead Online." This arose following attempts by a few GTA 5 role-playing servers to incorporate crypto as a method of monetizing in-game assets or offering unique advantages over other players within the game.
After the ban, several servers were shut down, including one called The Trenches, an NFT-based GTA server created by a rapper named Lil Durk. The project reported that it received a call from Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two Interactive, so it shut down.
Considering how firm Rockstar is, any crypto-integrated "GTA 6" server proposed by Ross and Banks would probably receive the same outcome.
Will 'GTA 6' Integrate Cryptocurrencies?
Despite the crypto ban in "GTA Online," rumors have been circulating for years that Rockstar might integrate blockchain elements into "GTA 6."
As of press time, the reports only feature unverified leaks. According to the speculations that started as early as 2021, the game would feature Bitcoin-style transactions or crypto-based rewards. Some reports suggested that Rockstar might allow players to earn and trade cryptocurrency within the game's open world.
However, all of these rumors remain unsubstantiated, and Rockstar has yet to confirm any crypto-related features for GTA 6. In fact, some believe that the game might be satirical, like other GTA titles that parody pop culture trends.
Take-Two Interactive's Complicated Relationship With Crypto
Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two Interactive, has dabbled in crypto, but its approach has been inconsistent.
In 2022, Take-Two acquired mobile gaming giant Zynga. Zynga was actively developing an NFT-based game called "Sugartown." Then-CEO Strauss Zelnick was about as optimistic as a CEO could be regarding "Web3 opportunities" in gaming.
However, by late 2024, Zynga's crypto gaming division had spun off to form a separate company, D20 Labs, marking Take-Two's shift away from blockchain gaming.
Will Adin Ross' Crypto 'GTA 6' Server Survive?
Given Rockstar's long history of resistance to crypto in its multiplayer games, it will prove to be a huge challenge for Ross and Banks to bring a blockchain-driven GTA 6 to market. As the gaming industry understands crypto better, history shows that Rockstar will not change its stance anytime soon.
Of course, anything is possible—if even crypto-skeptic Bill Gates can launch a crypto coin, maybe Rockstar will have a change of heart. But for now, it seems like Ross's dream of a crypto-powered GTA 6 server could be over before it even starts.
While you're scrolling through "GTA 6" leaks, you can check our latest "Civilization VII" Commanders guide.
