Legendary game developer, Rockstar Games, recently announced that it will be pulling the plug on the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Grand Theft Auto (GTA) Online, the online multiplayer component of the record-breaking Grand Theft Auto V.

According to the developer, the online component will be officially shut down on December 16, 2021, and PS3 and Xbox 360 owners will no longer be able to purchase Shark Cash Cards after September 15, 2021. Shark Cash Cards are used to unlock in-game currency on the PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles.

Rockstar said in a press release that this move will “have no impact on access to, or progress, within, the Grand Theft Auto V story mode.” Players simply won’t be able to access the online component.

The company also shared that website stat tracking for GTA Online will no longer be in operation on December 16, 2021. This feature for Rockstar’s other PS3 and Xbox 360 titles (all of which have Social Club Integration) such as Max Payne 3 and L.A. Noire will be shut down as early as September 16, 2021.

Rockstar is now encouraging players to continue their journey in Los Santos on new platforms.

Some may be surprised that the PS3 and Xbox 360 GTA online community managed to survive into the PS5 and Xbox series X era, but this simply speaks to the immense popularity of the series.

The GTA series is one of the best-selling franchises in gaming history. GTA V in particular has been Rockstar’s most successful title to date, despite previous installations, blowing some AAA titles out the water as far as sales.

According to a recent article posted by Screenrant, GTA V has sold over 145 million copies worldwide, accounting for 42% of GTA sales in their entirety.

The long-awaited GTA 6 also started to trend on social media following Rockstar’s announcement that it will be pulling the plug on the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of GTA online.