If you've played practically any amount of GTA Online, — and if you're reading this we'll assume you have — you'll know how difficult it is to earn or acquire money in the game. If you want to be as efficient about it as possible in a numerical sense, you'll find yourself grinding the same mission over and over — and that ain't fun for anyone.
However, if you defy the attraction of all those amazing in-game items and play how you want, you can easily find yourself lagging behind other players in terms of new or high-end items and vehicles. Sure, a Banshee gets the job done, but damn, you'd love to be driving a T20 or 900R, wouldn't you?
It's true that grinding heists is a thankless job, as while they do provide the biggest payouts, that only comes to pass if you succeed... and you need to put in a lot of effort to get there. Plus, if you don't have a regular crew to run with, playing with randoms will quickly be a drag unless you've got sufficient patience.
The Executives and Other Criminals update did give players a feasible alternative in the form of VIP work. Doing the right jobs in the right order will synchronize the cool-down times allowing you to go from job to job without any wasted minutes, making some serious cash along the way. There is one catch, though — you need a million bucks just to unlock the missions.
Rockstar loves pumping GTA Online full of flashy high-end content that generally has a heavy price tag (and hey, let's be honest, we love that content too!). There are gold-plated jets and yachts with a going-price of $GTA 10 million. There's the ever expanding list of lowriders keep attracting players, but each will cost you a million $GTA easy. Plus, you need your garages well stocked with rides fit for any scenario.
So what does an enterprising player do when they wish to avoid grinding (which still only gets you cash really slowly), but want to update their gear in GTA Online? Rockstar has come up with a simple, fair and extremely lucrative solution.
No, it's not a money cheat. Hell, there isn't even a money cheat in the single player portion of GTA V for the simple reason that Online's stock market is connected with that of the story mode, meaning a money cheat there would affect the Online economy as well.
Enter the Shark Cash Cards. In today's gaming industry, the use of microtransactions has become wide-spread in multiplayer, especially of the massively variety, games — though they are even present in some single player experiences.
Microtransactions are the result of stretching the concept of "project $10" which spawned the paid DLC craze to it's absolute limit. When done right, microtransactions allow fans of games to improve their playing experience with a small, additional investment in exchange for currency or visual items. When done wrong, microtransactions turn games into pay-to-win monstrosities.
GTA Online quite clearly falls into the former category. You absolutely can acquire that money without paying another cent, therefore people who purchase Shark Cards aren't given an unfair advantage. All the cards do is allow players to give their time value.
What do you value more? Time, or money? Would you rather play for 10 hours or pay 10 bucks for the same outcome? Shark Cards give you that option. They are paid DLC items which, when bought, provide your in-game bank account with a monetary boost depending on what tier you bought in to.
Cash is king in this town. Solve your money problem and help get what you want across Los Santos and Blaine County with the occasional purchase of cash packs for Grand Theft Auto Online. All purchased cash is automatically deposited into your character's bank account. Spend wisely, cash therapy is fleeting.
Buying Shark Cards is entirely optional and Rockstar pays close attention to balancing prices in a way that the game supports both Shark Card buyers and non-buyers alike. However, they are a great way of getting that cash boost you need to buy what you want.
There are several tiers of Shark Cards, each providing different amounts of cash. Logically, the more expensive the Card, the more in-game GTA $ you'll receive. These can range from a few dollars all the way to being more expensive than a full-price AAA game.
In keeping with the "Shark" branding, each tier is named after a real, existing species of shark. The size ratios between the actual animals is reflected in the price and value differences of the cards. Starting on the shallow end, we have the pretty insignificant Red Shark, which nets you GTA $100,000. Next on the ladder is the Tiger Shark with double the value but less than double the price, making it a better deal.
| Card Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Red Shark | GTA$100,000 |
| Tiger Shark | GTA$200,000 |
| Bull Shark | GTA$500,000 |
| Great White Shark | GTA$1,250,000 |
| Whale Shark | GTA$3,500,000 |
| Megalodon | GTA$8,000,000 |
The next on the list is the Bull Shark with a bit of a leap, granting players half a million dollars in GTA Online — and the differences only get bigger from here. The Great White is worth $GTA 1,250,000!.
The two largest cards will chomp your wallet for sure, but you won't be hurting for cash in the game either. The Whale Shark comes in at $GTA 3.5 million, eclipsed only by the Megalodon, named after the massive pre-historic shark species, which grants players $GTA 8 million in game.
Initially, these cash cards were called Maze Bank Cards, since the in-game accounts are all managed by the eponymous fictional bank. The two largest tiers, the Whale and the Megalodon weren't part of the initial selection of cards, but were rather added later along with DLCs that contained more expensive content.
In the sea, there are big fish and there are little fish. The same is true on land. But which are you? Isn't it the time to define yourself? At Shark, we have different Shark credit cards based on your level of insecurity. Let your credit card color define you.
Despite some players criticizing the use of Shark Cards, they have become an integral part of GTA Online. You know those DLC updates the game keeps getting every now and again, adding tons of content to the game which took time and resources to develop? You know, the ones everyone can play without having to pay literally a cent?
Yeah, those exist because Shark Cards? Rockstar's next game? Oh yeah, that too is financed by Shark Cards. Let's do some math, shall we? GTA Online's Shark Cards alone made over $500 million worth of profit for Take-Two Interactive.
GTA V's total budget? $265 million.
Yeah. Shark Cards alone made almost twice as much as it cost to make the game. So if you find yourself enjoying the new content with which GTA Online is being update, or if you're anticipating Rockstar's next game, think twice before dissing the Shark Cash Cards.
Plus, Rockstar has put the cards on sale more than once, with a twist. Instead of decreasing their price, Rockstar held limited time promotions during which paying the same amount of real cash got you significantly more in-game money.
You can purchase Shark Cash Cards at Amazon or via the Rockstar Warehouse.
GTA Online Shark Cards range in cost from US$4.99 to US$99.99.
Shark Cards grant you in-game currency in GTA Online ($GTA). You must purchase them using fiat money (like USD) and redeem them in-game.
From time to time Rockstar Games will run a bonus promotion when you redeem certain Shark Cards.
