Grand Theft Auto Online has taken on a life of its own over the years, and with it now expecting a standalone release, fans appear to be quite invested in learning more about the game's future development. One rumor states that, as Grand Theft Auto Online's next update will bring back some well-known contacts and familiar friends, it's likely that Tony Prince will be making an appearance.
Twitter user TezFunz2, who monitors changes in Rockstar Games titles, reported on the upcoming Grand Theft Auto Online update. They observed that Rockstar Games had added some new unused variables that would allow Nightclubs to work within a mission environment. Combined with the rumor that some old friends were coming back and players would be able to help them expand their completely legitimate business ventures, TezFunz2 concluded that players would soon be able to get reacquainted with Tony Prince of Grand Theft Auto 4 fame.
Tony Prince, also known as Gay Tony, made his first appearance in Grand Theft Auto 4 and its associated expansions. Although other Grand Theft Auto 4 characters returned in Grand Theft Auto 5, Tony Prince wasn't one of them, as he was implied to have skipped town at the end of Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony, the expansion dedicated to him and his bodyguard, Luis Fernando Lopez. Despite this, Tony Prince is still a fan-favorite character, so fans may find the idea of him making a return in Grand Theft Auto Online plausible.
This isn't the first time Tony Prince has appeared in Grand Theft Auto Online--he also showed up in the game's 2018 After Hours update, where he supports the player in running a Nightclub Business. This previous update could provide a solid foundation for future updates to build off, particularly in regards to Nightclub functionality. If there's already precedent for Tony and his Nightclub business making an appearance in Grand Theft Auto Online, it might be easy to see room for expansion.
As of writing, it appears that Grand Theft Auto fans are looking forward to the new update, but opinions are split on whether or not they believe Tony Prince will be part of it. Two users expressed hopes that Luis Fernando Lopez, who has also been absent from the series for a while, would also make a return. Other users began discussing features they hoped to see added to Nightclubs in the new update.
Grand Theft Auto Online is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.