GTA Online players gear up for Zombie survival mode in North Yankton this October

Rockstar Games announced players can soon revisit North Yankton in Grand Theft Auto Online. A new survival mode featuring zombies will launch in October.

Rockstar Games confirms GTA Online's new survival mode set in North Yankton launching October. (Rockstar Games)

Rockstar Games confirmed that Grand Theft Auto Online players will soon return to North Yankton, the iconic setting featured in the prologue of Grand Theft Auto 5. While details remain limited, this location will be part of a new survival mode launching in October.

Controversy Over Anti-Cheat Update

Despite focusing on Grand Theft Auto 6, scheduled for release in Fall 2025, Rockstar continues to deliver new content updates for Grand Theft Auto Online. Fans often praise the studio for its engaging updates, but a recent anti-cheat update has stirred controversy among the Steam Deck community. This update rendered the live-service game unplayable on devices running Linux, causing a notable decline in concurrent players. Many users believe the anti-cheat system was necessary, yet its implementation resulted in frustration.

GTA Halloween Mode 

Additionally, Rockstar faced backlash after removing a popular game mode from Grand Theft Auto Online weeks ago. However, the studio appears to have regained some goodwill by announcing the upcoming survival mode set in North Yankton through a blog post. For those unfamiliar with Grand Theft Auto 5, North Yankton served as the snowy backdrop for the game's opening mission. Players can now look forward to returning to this iconic location, specifically to Ludendorff Cemetery, where the new survival mode will unfold.

This forthcoming Halloween mode may not surprise many players, as a June update for Grand Theft Auto Online revealed in-game files containing animations and the North Yankton Cemetery. Data miners suggest that players will face waves of zombies in this Halloween-themed mode. While the exact release date remains uncertain, Rockstar encourages players to watch for "all kinds of surprises" throughout October, including the highly anticipated survival mode.

As the next instalment of the Grand Theft Auto franchise approaches, the future of Grand Theft Auto Online remains uncertain. After eleven years of consistent content updates, this might be the last Halloween update for the popular live-service title. Players eagerly await more news from Rockstar as October approaches.