When is GTA Online’s winter update? 2021 event start date, rewards & more

GTA Online’s winter update will be live before you know it, but just exactly when will Rockstar’s annual party get underway? Here’s what we know. 

Ever since GTA Online launched, Rockstar Games have celebrated real-world holidays with in-game events, giving players new content to get their teeth stuck into.

Each year, players look forward to the summer and winter parties, with the festive season being especially exciting given there are usually free gifts up for grabs.

This year should be no different, either, as Festive Surprise 2021 isn’t too far away. So, here’s what we can expect to see.

GTA Online’s Christmas update has always been known as Festive Surprise.

GTA Online Festive Surprise 2021 start date & time

In terms of when the Festive Surprise update usually goes live, the GTA developers haven’t stuck to a set date every year.

Instead, the update usually hits the game’s servers in the second or third week of December, typically around the 19th and 20th. Though, it’s not a shock to see it drop closer to the 22nd or 23rd, either.

This year, with the final Thursday before Christmas coming on the 23rd, we can guess that update is going to live right around then. However, it depends as to how much content Rockstar has up their sleeve as to when it ends.

Will there be free gifts and rewards?

As noted, previous Festive Surprise updates have come chock full of free rewards. These have been both daily log-in rewards and discounts that last for the whole event period.

Again, it really depends on what Rockstar has planned for this year as to what free rewards will be. In the past, there have been free t-shirts, free cars, and free weapons. So, we should get a good mix.

There will mostly likely be a mix of both log-in rewards and event-long discounts combined together, rewarding both dedicated and casual players.

GTA has been no stranger to the holiday celebrations.

When will the snow be in GTA Online?

As for what else the update should bring, snowfall around Los Santos been a staple ever since the first-ever Festive Surprise event. So, expect to see that come back.

The snow will things a little trickier on the road, so watch out for that. Snow also means snowball fights around the map, so be prepared to get sniped with an icy surprise.

Buildings and streets will also have their holiday decorations up too, so don’t be surprised to see snowmen, Christmas trees, and wooden reindeers around the place either.

If anything else changes, we’ll be sure to update this article, so make sure you check back in with us!