New Grand Theft Auto 5 game mode to recreate cycle commuting in London

Rockstar games has announced the edition of several new game modes to GTA Online – one of which will sound familiar to anyone who has ever tried to ride a bike through the streets of London.

The new mode, called “Hasta La Vista” pits cyclists against lorry divers. Here’s how the press release describes it:

“The chase is on as Truckers in big rig cabs hunt down a team of Cyclists. The Cyclists’ goal is simple: reach the final checkpoint without getting crushed under the wheels of the pursuing trucks. Without traditional weapons the Truckers must rely solely on their vehicles to crush the Cyclists. Meanwhile, the Cyclists must harness the maneuverability and acceleration of their bikes to evade the trucks, while keeping an eye over their shoulder. If one of the Cyclists reaches the checkpoint, the Cyclists win. If all Cyclists are terminated, the Truckers prevail.”

Presumably the Mayor of Los Santos will then go on to make a number of high-profile but lacklustre gestures in support of cyclists, without realising the need for a cycle network built to the standards of Amsterdam and Copenhagen.

Other new game modes include the following, again quoting the press release:

Come Out To Play
A team of three Runners just trying to make it home, and a team of Hunters are out for blood. Runners are well-armed but limited to movement by foot, while the opposition wield free-aim shotguns and ride motorbikes or ATVs. Hunters must stay on their bikes and have access to unlimited lives, while the Runners have just one life but all their weapons available to pick off the Hunters at will.

Siege Mentality
Up to four players stand their ground, outnumbered but not outgunned as they fight to survive against up to 6 determined attackers in a location defense mode, GTA style. Attackers have unlimited lives but fight only with sawn-off shotguns. Defenders have full use of all their weapons.

Daily Objectives
The Los Santos daily hustle just got a little more lucrative. Whether players tend towards Jobs or free-form activities, Daily Objectives will give the player a rotating series of challenges to take on for GTA$ rewards. With three new objectives per day, players can stack up challenges over consecutive days to earn bonuses of up to $500,000.

New Free Mode Activities
Players also have new opportunities for cash and RP rewards with new activities added to the world in Free Mode. Players should be on the lookout for calls from Lester, who may need help to distract the cops in a specific area while Lester’s accomplices finish their criminal business. Lamar may call looking for help destroying a vehicle or two, while Trevor and Ron need occasional help picking their business rival’s planes out of the sky. Along with GTA$ and RP bonuses, there are all-new Awards available for completing these challenges with style.

There’s also a new in-game Email notification system that will allow players to contact and message any of their GTA Online friends, no matter what session they’re in – as well as a host of new Awards that yield new items including exclusive t-shirts and car modifications.

All the updates are due to hit alongside the much-awaited heists update on March 10th.