GTA V offline mode disappear after installing Rockstar Games Launcher is a bug

Rockstar reports that the disappearance of the ability to play GTA V offline after installing the Rockstar Games Launcher is a bug. The studio says it is investigating the error, but it is unclear when a fix will be made.

Rockstar released its own game launcher on Tuesday that includes a store and offers the ability to add games purchased on Steam, for example. Gamers on reddit report that they can no longer play GTA V in offline mode after installing the launcher. Rockstar writes on its support website that this is a known issue and that it is “being looked into.”

Once users have installed the launcher, they are also required to use it to launch the Steam version of GTA V, for example. If the game launcher is removed, GTA V can no longer be launched via Steam according to Ars Technica. Gamers will then be directed to the launcher installation.

Users who have never installed the launcher are not required to install it at this point; it is not clear whether that will change in the future. Other publishers, such as Ubisoft, also run their games on Steam through their own launcher. Rockstar games, such as GTA V, already connect to the Rockstar Social Club, even when launched via Steam.

It seems likely that Rockstar will use its own game launcher and store to sell a possible PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2. By doing this entirely in-house, the company does not have to pay a percentage to a platform like Steam or the Epic Games Store. In July a reference to a PC version of the western game appeared in code from the Rockstar Social Club website, but there is no concrete indications about the arrival of the PC version yet.