Contrary to popular belief, GTA Online does still have some players old enough to procreate, rather than simply being a sea of adolescent business moguls grinding away to make their fortune.
Sadly, it seems these mature criminals are just as susceptible to one of the game’s most widely publicised menaces: the griefer.
The risk of having your day ruined by someone with missiles to spare is always high, but according to one player on Reddit, going AFK doesn’t exactly help your chances.
Going AFK in GTA Online might not be the most shrewd move
The thread on this topic in the GTA Online subreddit began with a post from user MasterMasticator89, who summarised the situation by saying: “A griefer killed me 23 times while I was AFK putting my kids to bed.”
Some of their fellow players were quick to point out that griefing doesn’t pay, with user Farmer8379 saying: “The best thing is [that] his K/D [ratio] didn’t change”, prompting a discussion over how exactly the changes to the mechanic recently introduced via the Criminal Enterprises update actually work.
However, user arnandegans argued that boosting K/D likely wouldn’t have been the griefer’s motivation, even if they were unaware of the changes to it, saying: “Griefers kill to annoy people, usually not to pad their K/D.”
Other players dispensed with the theorising and instead shared some of their own practical experiences combatting griefers, with user Furyan9x telling the story of a particularly relentless Oppressor Mark 2 rider they encountered while doing a VIP mission, who goaded them into a fight that ended 31 kills to six in favour of the griefer.
Meanwhile, some pointed out that there are ways of going AFK in the game without incurring the risk of being repeatedly massacred, with user jeff_ewing revealing: “For future reference, a great way to AFK is to go to the Casino. After the ‘establishing shot’ cutscene, you'll get a menu offering you the Rooftop Lounge, Garage, Casino, etc. It's safe to walk away before choosing.”
On the other hand, user sumit131995 seemed to have been confused by the original post, asking: “You can have kids on GTA now?”
Regardless of whether you think Los Santos’ criminals are ready for parenthood, make sure to follow us for more GTA Online and GTA 6 updates as new vehicles and more arrive.