GTA Online's Diamond Casino Heist will be the game's 'most complex operation' ever

GTA Online players have been able to gamble themselves into penury at the Diamond Casino and Resort since July, but soon it will be time to get down to what they've really wanted to do all along: Rip the place off. Starting on December 12, players will be able to take part in The Diamond Casino Heist, which is being billed as "the biggest, most audacious, most complex criminal operation" in the history of Los Santos.

Rockstar said the casino job "is an all-new approach to Heist architecture and execution," with "a diverse range of opportunities for set-up and prep missions that shape your plan of attack, multiple paths of approach, constantly changing security measures and a dizzying array of choices once inside." The many variables and mid-mission choices in play mean that situations and outcomes will change on the fly, which should lead to some "interesting" scenarios. Fortunately, if things go really sideways it will of course be possible to blast your way out, enabling players to avoid a mission failure and carry on with the job.

(I would think that a sneaky casino ripoff would be seriously undermined by the sudden appearance of a rampaging gang with machine guns, but I've never heisted a casino so maybe I don't have a firm grasp on the underlying mechanics.)

Players cannot, however, just blast their way in and crab the cash, which would be far too simple. Complexity really does seem to be the name of this particular game: Crew leaders will apparently have to set up a "retro arcade business" as a front, for instance, which will serve as headquarters where operations are staged and planned. In the basement, players can practice hacking keypads and cracking vaults, and store equipment and getaway vehicles.

Rockstar didn't explain how this great and complicated plan will ultimately come together, but said that details will be revealed when the mode goes live next week.

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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.