The next time you open up the GTA Launcher on PC you are likely to see a message asking you to install Battleye, but what is it and what effect will it have on your gameplay?
Watch our video above to learn more.
Battleye is anti-cheat software that is used on some of the biggest multiplayer games like ARK and PUBG and is designed to prevent modders from ruining the game for other players and the cynic might add also being added to help Rockstar sell a few more Shark Cards.
Modders have been the bane of PC lobbies for many, many years, so in principle it’s long overdue. At the time of writing on day one I played in a number of lobbies and didn’t encounter a single modder, but it’s likely that the mod platforms will be working a ways to bypass it as after all they won’t be able to sell their mods if they don’t work.
You can still play GTA 5 Story mode without it and indeed if you go into the Settings of GTA Launcher you can disable Battleye. However, if you then attempt to play GTA Online you will be unable to until you have re-enabled it, so in reality while it says that Battleye ‘may’ be required to play certain online games, when it comes to GTA Online you have no choice.
For those who mod using Story Mode like me, you can disable Battleye in the Settings section of GTA Launcher and you should still be able to play the game with your mods, albeit you won’t be able to play GTA Online until you re-enable it.
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