8 Tiny Issues That RUINED Blockbuster Video Game Launches

2. A Never-Ending Tutorial - GTA Online

GTA Online Bike Drive By
Rockstar Games

It's morphed into one of the biggest success stories of the entire generation now (which is saying something, considering it didn't even originally launch on this generation of consoles), but for a time GTA Online could have been a huge disaster. In fact, when it launched a few weeks after the main game, one absolutely infuriating glitch made a bunch of people swear it off entirely until Rockstar implemented a fix.

That's because GTA Online attempted to blend the cinematic storytelling of the main game with your regular mutiplayer offerings, and after creating your character you were ushered into an opening tutorial mission, establishing how online quests and lobbies worked in this unique sandbox.

The issue was that just about every player - bar a few lucky ones who escaped this purgatory - got stuck in a never-ending tutorial loop, where they'd be called in to do this mission over and over again.

Players were unable to progress and were unable to actually get into the game proper, leaving thousands infuriated that they couldn't play the mode a huge chunk of the fanbase was looking forward to the most.

There were other issues that plagued GTA Online at launch, including a lack of content and matchmaking issues, but what defined its early life was this idea that it was inherently broken.

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Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.