Despite the title of the article, this one is relatively short and easy to answer. To play GTA Online on the Xbox 360 is impossible. The servers for the 360 were shut down in 2021. As were the PS3 servers, as both consoles are generations behind the current market. So, there was no reason for Rockstar Entertainment to keep the servers working. Not when many players either upgraded or left to go play different games.
Keep in mind, that Grand Theft Auto Online came out on October 1, 2013. Ten years ago. The fact it is still played today is remarkable. Usually, only MMORPG behemoths like World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV can claim such a feat. Even more so when the game has survived three console generations across multiple companies. This means the developers would have to code and update the game for separate systems across three generations’ worth of consoles, from the Xbox 360/PS3 to the Xbox One/PS4 to the Xbox Series X to the PlayStation 5. On the PC, all they have to worry about is updating the game’s code and graphics.
But what if I really want to play Grand Theft Auto Online?
Or rather, playing Grand Theft Auto Online, well, online, is impossible. It’s still entirely possible to play the game offline, and, indeed, doing so is easy. Simply load up the game via a disc or program. Then make sure to select ‘offline mode’ during the loading screen.
But is it possible to play Grand Theft Auto Online, 360 version, at all? Well, it might be possible to run your server, or perhaps jury-rigging a get-together with friends. But doing it officially, or, indeed, easily, is better off on the current console generation. Or just playing it on the PC, either one!
Doing it as it is now is simply destined for failure, as, again, the servers are shut down.