GTA Online Adversary Modes

Updated 2 November 2026 · Fan site. Not affiliated with Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive.

Adversary Modes are team games in GTA Online where the two sides usually have different goals, tools or numbers. They arrived with the Heists update in March 2015, starting with modes such as Siege Mentality and Hasta La Vista. Rockstar has added new ones in many later updates, from Deadline in 2016 to Arena War in 2018.

What are Adversary Modes in GTA Online?

In most GTA Online jobs every player chases the same goal. Adversary Modes break that pattern. One team might be hunting while the other is fleeing, or one side might get heavy weapons while the other has to rely on speed. The teams are not equal, so each side needs its own plan.

According to Wikipedia, the first modes came with the Heists update in March 2015, the same patch that added the multi-part jobs covered in our GTA heists guide. Siege Mentality and Hasta La Vista were among that opening set.

How do Adversary Modes work?

You start them like any other job, from the in-game menus or by joining a playlist. Each mode has its own rules for teams, weapons and vehicles, and a round ends when one side meets its goal or the timer runs out. Many modes swap the teams' roles between rounds, so both groups get a turn on each side.

Which Adversary Modes are best known?

Deadline is the one critics talked about most. Players ride glowing bikes that leave a trail behind them, and Wikipedia notes that reviewers compared it to the light cycles of Tron: Legacy. In Sumo, teams try to shove each other's cars off a raised platform.

What is Arena War?

The Arena War update of 11 December 2018 moved a set of demolition-derby style modes into the Maze Bank Arena. Players who own an Arena garage earn Arena Points from these matches, which unlock cosmetic items for characters and cars.

Are new Adversary Modes still added?

Yes. Wikipedia lists several later batches, including eight modes in the 2020 Los Santos Summer Special and a mode featuring Franklin and Lamar in January 2022. Rockstar also rotates older modes back into weekly events. For the full release history see our GTA Online updates page.