GTA Online Arena War adds 23 vehicles, 7 new modes today

News by Matt Martin Former Editor-in-Chief

Published on Dec. 11, 2018

GTA Online's new Arena War update drops today, offering players a brand new set of highly dangerous vehicles types.

Update: the Arena War update is now live on consoles - it weights in at just under 4GB. You can check out all the prices for the new vehicles, modes and gameplay here.

Arena War takes place around the Maze Bank Arena with players starting a new career mode, unlocking progress using Arena Points to rank up and unlock lethal transport that can then be used in GTA Online's free roam modes.

It's basically a battle to the death in seven new Arena War modes, with twelve new Arena Contender vehicles and a wide range of modifications.

Here's a breakdown from Rockstar Games:

Arena War content

7 new Arena War Modes
The Arena Workshop property inside the Maze Bank Arena, which includes an office and options to add Arena, Benny’s, and Mobile Operations Center Mechanics, vehicle storage, interior customization and more.
A range of new Arena Contender vehicles ready to be modified with visible armor, weapons and more.
The Arena Career tracked through the Career Wall in the workshop. Compete to earn Arena Points and progress through the ranks. Earn awards and trophies that adorn the trophy shelf, get rewarded with new clothing items, and unlock lower pricing tiers on new vehicle mods.
The Spectator Booth: after players are knocked out of the competition they can hang out in the spectator booth: play the Arena War Wheel mini-game for bonuses, get a drink at the bar or get back into the match at hand with RC cars, drones, traps, artillery towers and more.

Arena War Modes - seven arenas for up to 16 players

Carnage
No mercy, no disqualification, no safe word. Utilizing a host of new weaponized Bikes, Cars and Trucks specifically engineered for maximum destruction, be the last contender standing in an all-out vehicular brawl under the dome of the Maze Bank Arena.

Flag War
Two teams, two flags, one objective. The classic capture the flag formula — reworked Arena War style to include enough gasoline-chugging violence to appeal to a mainstream audience.

Wreck It
If you're any good at driving really fast and turning to the left, then you're off to a good start. Sure, it's theoretically possible to win a round of Wreck It by crossing the line first in a fair-and-square lap race. But that's never happened, because the competition, recently departed Spectators and an ever-evolving set of traps and obstacles are conspiring to reduce you to a smoldering heap of scrap metal. Like the old saying goes, if it's not a race to the death, you're just not taking it seriously enough.

Games Masters
When it comes to brutal arena designs, you can install the most exquisitely hazardous death traps on the market, but there's just no substitute for the sheer ingenuity and sadism of a properly incentivized human being. One team collects checkpoints, the other uses every fiendish tool the Arena has to offer to make their plans go up in smoke. And be sure to hold onto your grudges: after every round, you switch places.

Here Come the Monsters
For centuries, gladiatorial fights to the death have brought unbridled joy to the masses. In Here Come the Monsters, one team takes to the arena in monster trucks capable of crushing metal and bone into the same bloody dust. The other guys get compact cars and a dose of anxiety meds - but if even one of them survives, they win. Let the games begin.

Hot Bomb
Life isn't about holding onto good things, it's about passing them on. Like inherited wealth, or a sense of entitlement. Or a high-explosive device. In Hot Bomb, one player has the bomb, and the only way to get rid of it is by crashing into someone else. Throw in a timer and a baying crowd, and survival of the fittest just got an upgrade. If you're eliminated from a match, pull up a stool in the greatest spectator lounge ever devised: kick back and get a drink or play the Arena War Wheel to claim a variety of prizes (the only form of roulette that has “take control of a weaponized drone” as a possible outcome).

Tag Team Arena
War isn't all about ruthless individualism. Sometimes there really is safety in numbers - and in Tag Team you're going to need it. Each team has one player in the arena at a time, and their only objective is to immolate the opposition. Teammates holed up in the Spectator Box have an array of weapons at their disposal to give their partner a destructive edge.

Arena Workshop & Career

Players can hit up the Arena Mechanic to not only modify Arena Contender Vehicles, but customize all of their standard vehicles and add optional Benny’s and Mobile Operations Center mechanics. But wait - there's more: Arena Workshop Properties are available for purchase at the new Arena.tv website. Cool. These include the following:

Access to an Arena Mechanic with modifications for Arena Contender Vehicles. You can also customize all of your standard vehicles here and add optional Benny’s and Mobile Operations Center mechanics.
Additional vehicle storage floors.
The Arena Office with the Career Wall: begin your Arena Career from your Career Wall. Players will unlock awards and trophies as they progress, as well as new clothing items and discounted pricing on new vehicle mods.

12 Arena Contender vehicles

Available for purchase at the new Arena.tv website, are 12 new Arena Contender Vehicles. Each are available in Future Shock, Apocalypse, and Nightmare styles.

Annis ZR380
Benefactor Bruiser
Bravado Sasquatch
Declasse Brutus
Declasse Impaler
HVY Scarab
MTL Cerberus
Vapid Arena Dominator
Vapid Arena Slamvan
Vapid Imperator
Weeny Arena Issi
Western Deathbike

If that weren't enough, Rockstar also provided the following tips to help you get started.

Arena War Tips

Mod your vehicles appropriately for the mode you’re entering, a blade can be good for
Carnage, not as good for Bomb Ball.
Choose your vehicle for the role you are going to take in the mode, players defending can be
better in larger vehicles but worse in roles where the player collects checkpoints/flags.
Upgrade your Arena Contender Vehicle for strategic advantages. Mines are a great way to
get some extra damage out, and while the spinning blades do not deal high damage, they
are fantastic for creating separation or move an opponent out of the way.
Get bonus Arena Points for teaming up in Arena Wars and climb the ladder together.
You can now purchase and equip vehicle mods while matchmaking before entering a mode,
especially handy to add strategic weapons before heading into a match. Mods will persist on
your vehicle after the match.
Always be wary of traps. Spectators that play the Arena War Wheel can gain access to the
Trap Cam and attempt to thwart your rise to victory with fire and barrier traps placed
around the Arena. Rack up consecutive wins in Arena War mode and receive bonus Arena
Points, speeding up your progress through the ranks.
Know when to cut your losses and tag out. If a mode reaches Sudden Death all surviving
players are tagged back in, so use this opportunity to prey upon opposing teams who've
suffered greater casualties.
Don’t be afraid to tag your teammates in (Share the fun).
Even if you are eliminated you are not out of the mode, help your team by making use of the
Battle Drone or the RC Bandito.
Use the power ups together, stop an enemy with the EMP drone and focus fire on them
from the turrets.

Sound like fun. You know what else is fun? Saving money. Players can take 35% off Mk II Weapon upgrades and customization, and 25% off the following:

Luxury Finishes
MG & Combat MG
Snipers
SMGs
Shotguns
Pistols
Explosives & Throwables
Body Armor

Have fun out there.

Original story: There's seven new modes for Arena War, all of which make use of custom built vehicles including heavily armed bikes, trucks and sports cars.

According to prominent leaker TezFunz, there's 23 vehicles included in the update - that includes variants on some already in GTA Online, as well as brand new vehicles.