Three days after the release of Grand Theft Auto 5 for PS4 and Xbox One, and a number of users are still reporting problems connecting to GTA Online, the online multiplayer mode.
The official Rockstar support page is filled with hundreds of users complaining of problems connecting online, reporting "time out locating session." A quick search on Twitter shows similar complaints.
Rockstar doesn't appear too concerned with the complaints, addressing them in an official "GTA Online Connection Troubleshooting" post.
Question: I keep getting disconnected and I am having problems connecting to other players. How do I avoid this?
Question: Whenever I try to enter GTA Online, an error appears saying that the Rockstar cloud servers are unavailable. But all my friends are playing so I know the servers aren't down. What am I doing wrong?
Answer: This is often related to some connection types conflicting with other players, or other Internet problems. Some of the affected have had success by changing their NAT setting to OPEN or connecting the console directly to their modems using a wired connection, bypassing the router entirely.
Note: Many connection issues typically turn out to be problems with the router. To test this, bypass the router entirely and connect instead to the modem (separate box) using a wired Ethernet cable. This is assuming your modem and router are separate boxes. If you have a combination modem/router (one box for both), see tip #7 at the bottom of this page about Bridge Mode.
The support page offers a number of steps you can take to resolve the issue, but it doesn't appear to be working for everyone — at least judging by the number of complaints still flowing in.
Since its release, users have encountered a number of problems with GTA 5 including problems downloading the update and transferring accounts. Those issues have at least been fixed.
