Rockstar Games has a tendency to pack its games with Easter eggs and references, turning each title it releases into something of a scavenger hunt for players. Throughout the years, these Easter eggs have included everything from subtle nods to creatures like Bigfoot. Now, it appears that Grand Theft Auto Online has added another mythical creature in the form of the Loch Ness Monster.
The Loch Ness Monster, sometimes referred to as Nessie, has been added to Grand Theft Auto Online alongside the Cayo Perico heist. Players are able to encounter the creature while escaping Cayo Perico, near the airstrip, as well as a few other segments of the heist. The Loch Ness Monster will be just off the coast, its head poking out of the water similar to the picture that made it famous.
Get too close to the creature and it will dive below the surface, unable to be seen. Pavel will then comment on the encounter, calling the creature an "old friend." Pavel doesn't elaborate beyond that, though, leaving the duo's experience together something of a mystery. Apparently, the creature will also appear in the form of a sandcastle, giving players a tease of what's to come.
There isn't much to the creature besides being a simple Easter egg, in fact it's barely even animated and can't be killed because it's just an object. However, it will occasionally bug out, which causes it to remain in place rather than diving below the water. When this happens, players can get up close to it, letting them see its model in greater detail. Grand Theft Auto Online got submarines in the Cayo Perico update, and while it doesn't seem like players can encounter the Loch Ness monster while exploring the deep, it certainly would've been a cool touch.
Rockstar has kept regular content updates for Grand Theft Auto Online rolling out since it launched, expanding the game with new activities over its near decade long lifespan. With those new activities and items has come Easter eggs and references, and while that doesn't do much from a pure content perspective, it does help keep players engaged as they scour the map for new jokes.
With Grand Theft Auto 6 seemingly years away, fans can expect more new content to be added to Grand Theft Auto Online. There are plenty of mythical creatures Rockstar could choose to add references to, and it will be interesting to see where they wind up.
Grand Theft Auto Online is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.