GTA Online free to play on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S until Monday

GTA Online opened free on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S as Rockstar rolled out The Kortz Center Heist, giving lapsed players a low-friction way back into Los Santos before the window closes Monday, July 20. The usual online access gates are waived for the promotion, so PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass Essential are not required during the free-play period.

The timing is built around the new heist itself. Rockstar says The Kortz Center Heist landed in GTA Online on July 14 and centers on Los Santos’ premier cultural space, with crews assembling weaponry and technology to pocket prized artworks. That makes the free-access window more than a giveaway, since new and returning players can jump in while the headline content is still fresh and the early activity is concentrated around the update.

Rockstar’s July 14 Title Update 1.73 notes also place The Kortz Center Heist on the same launch day as a wider summer content push. RockstarINTEL said the update adds a new heist, a purchasable art studio, new vehicles and gameplay changes, and that the event week for the update runs through July 22, 2026. The overlap gives players a little over a week to try the new material while the promotion is still pulling in extra traffic.

The access rules make the offer unusually broad for a console trial. PlayStation’s store listing for GTA Online normally says PS Plus is required for online play, while Xbox’s Free Play Days FAQ says those trials are usually limited to Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and Essential members. This window breaks that pattern on both platforms, but it does not extend to PC.

Rockstar’s own GTA Online page says the game supports up to 30 players online and includes all existing gameplay upgrades and content released since launch, a reminder that a short free period can still expose newcomers to a very full version of the game. For anyone who has been sitting out GTA Online or never bought in, the practical move is simple: get in before Monday, see how The Kortz Center Heist plays, and decide whether the new update is enough to keep you in Los Santos once the free access disappears.