Rockstar Games have finally answered why some accounts are still banned from playing Grand Theft Auto Online.
In case you missed it, Rockstar Games started reversing false bans over the past week after implementing BattlEye in late September. While plenty of players are now able to access their accounts following an unexplained suspension, some still can't play Grand Theft Auto Online, and we might finally know why.
On its official page, Rockstar acknowledged that BattlEye had banned some of the players by mistake, caught in the crossfire of its battle against hackers and cheaters in GTA Online. Unfortunately, tucked right at the end of the article is a line for those who haven't regained access to their GTA Online account: "Bans remain in place for any account where an email notification was not sent."
TLDR; if your GTA Online account is still banned, Rockstar believes you deserve it.
Rockstar's renewed stance against cheating and hacking a year ahead of Grand Theft Auto 6's release is a breath of fresh air. Critics may say that it's a case of too little too late, but GTA Online is a live service title at this point. A late implementation is better than none at all — and while overzealous, the anti-cheat is getting a much needed test run before whatever the next incarnation of Online launches.
By adding BattlEye to GTA Online, Rockstar is giving players another reason to return to the game outside of an expansion or content update. Despite its flaws, BattlEye is still an additional layer of protection that forces cheat makers to make more of an effort to get their cheats and hacks to work in the game.
Already, we're seeing groups behind GTA Online cheats and hacks retaliate after they reportedly ordered DDoS attacks against the official GTA Online servers. However, with Take-Two Interactive also issuing DMCA takedowns against cheat makers as Rockstar focuses on refining BattlEye, the overall in-game experience should only improve.
If you believe that Rockstar mistakenly banned your GTA Online account and you didn't receive an email, there's an option to appeal the decision. Rockstar may or may not overturn the ban, but it should give the developers a reason to reconsider your GTA Online account's status.
In other news, Halloween has finally arrived. GTA Online's latest update brings spooky content into the game, including exclusive upgrades for GTA+ members. There's still no word about when the PC port of Grand Theft Auto 5 Expanded and Enhanced will be released or if it will ever see the light of the day following the earlier leaks.
