Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor. This entire post represents my personal views and opinions, and should not be taken as financial advice (or advice of any kind whatsoever). I encourage you to do your own research, take anything I write with a grain of salt, and hold me accountable for any mistakes you may catch. Also, full disclosure, I hold a net long position in GME, but my cost basis is very low (average ~$67--I have to admit, the drop today was too tasty so my cost basis went up from yesterday)/share with my later buys averaged in), and I'm using money I can absolutely lose. My capital at risk and tolerance for risk generally is likely substantially different than yours. In this post I will go a little further and speculate more than I'd normally do in a post due to the questions I've been getting, so fair warning, some of it might be very wrong. I suspect we'll learn some of the truth years from now when some investigative journalist writes a book about it.
Thank you everyone for the comments and questions on the first and second post on this topic.
Today was a study in the power of fear, courage, and the levers you can pull when you wield billions of dollars...
Woops, excuse me. I'm sorry hedge fund guys... I meant trillions of dollars--I just briefly forget you control not just your own but a lot of other peoples' money too for a moment there.
Also, for people still trading this on market-based rationale (as I am), it was a good day to measure the conviction behind your thesis. I like to think I have conviction, but in case you are somehow not yet familiar with the legend of DFV, you need to see these posts (fair warning, nsfw, and some may be offended/triggered by the crude language). The last two posts might be impressive, but you should follow it in chronological order and pay attention to the evolution of sentiment in the comments to experience true enlightenment.
Anyway, I apologize, but this post will be very long--there's just a lot to unpack.

Pre-Market

Disclaimer: given yesterday's pre-market action I didn't even pay attention to the screen until near retail pre-market. I'm less confident in my ability to read what's going on in a historical chart vs the feel I get watching live, but I'll try.
Early in the pre-market it looks to me like some momentum traders are taking profit, discounting the probability that the short-side will give them a deep discount later, which you can reasonably assume given the strategy they ran yesterday. If they're right they can sell some small volume into the pre-market top, wait for the hedge funds try to run the price back down, and then lever up the gains even higher buying the dip. Buy-side here look to me like people FOMOing and YOLOing in at any price to grab their slice of gainz, or what looks to be market history in the making. No way are short-side hedge funds trying to cover anything at these prices.
Mark Cuban--well said! Free markets baby!
Mohamed El-Erian is money in the bank as always. "upgrade in quality" on the pandemic drop was the best, clearest actionable call while most were at peak panic, and boy did it print. Your identifying the bubble as the excessive short (vs blaming retail activity) is money yet again. Also, The PAIN TRADE (sorry, later interview segment I only have on DVR, couldn't find on youtube--maybe someone else can)!
The short attack starts, but I'm hoping no one was panicking this time--we've seen it before. Looks like the momentum guys are minting money buying the double dip into market open.
CNBC, please get a good market technician to explain the market action. Buy-side dominance, sell-side share availability evaporating into nothing (look at day-by-day volume last few days), this thing is now at runaway supercritical mass. There is no changing the trajectory unless you can change the very fabric of the market and the rules behind it (woops, I guess I should have knocked on wood there).
If you know the mechanics, what's happening in the market with GME is not mysterious AT ALL. I feel like you guys are trying to scare retail out early "for their own good" (with all sincerity, to your credit) rather than explain what's happening. Possibly you also fear that explaining it would equate to enabling/encouraging people to keep trying to do it inappropriately (possibly fair point, but at least come out and say that if that's the case). Outside the market, however...wow.

You Thought Yesterday Was Fear? THIS is Fear!

Ok short-side people, my hat is off to you. Just when I thought shouting fire in a locked theater was fear mongering poetry in motion, you went and took it to 11. What's even better? Yelling fire in a theater with only one exit. That way people can cause the financial equivalent of stampede casualties. Absolutely brilliant.
Robin Hood disables buying of GME, AMC, and a few of the other WSB favorites. Other brokerages do the same. Even for people on 0% margin. Man, and here I thought I had seen it all yesterday.
Side note: I will give a shout out to TD Ameritrade. You guys got erroneously lumped together with RH during an early CNBC segment, but you telegraphed the volatility risk management changes and gradually ramped up margin requirements over the past week. No one on your platform should have been surprised if they were paying attention. And you didn't stop anyone from trading their own money at any point in time. My account balance thanks you. I heard others may have had problems, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt given the DDOS attacks that were flyiing around
Robin Hood. Seriously WTF. I'm sure it was TOTALLY coincidence that your big announcements happen almost precisely when what has to be one of the best and most aggressive short ladder attacks of all time starts painting the tape, what looked like a DDOS attack on Reddit's CDN infrastructure (pretty certain it was the CDN because other stuff got taken out at the same time too), and a flood of bots hit social media (ok, short-side, this last one is getting old).
Taking out a large-scale cloud CDN is real big boy stuff though, so I wouldn't entirely rule out nation state type action--those guys are good at sniffing out opportunities to foment social unrest.
Anyway, at this point, as the market dives, I have to admit I was worried for a moment. Not that somehow the short-side would win (hah! the long-side whales in the pond know what's up), but that a lot of retail would get hurt in the action. That concern subsided quite a bit on the third halt on that slide. But first...
A side lesson on market orders
Someone printed bonus bank big time (and someone lost--I feel your pain, whoever you are).
During the face-ripping volatility my play money account briefly ascended to rarified heights of 7 figures. It took me a second to realize it, then another second to process it. Then, as soon as it clicked, that one, glorious moment in time was gone.
What happened?
During the insane chop of the short ladder attack, someone decided to sweep the 29 Jan 21 115 Call contracts, but they couldn't get a grip on the price, which was going coast to coast as IV blew up and the price was being slammed around. So whoever was trying to buy said "F it, MARKET ORDER" (i.e. buy up to $X,XXX,XXX worth of contracts at any price). This is referred to as a sweep if funded to buy all/most of the contracts on offer (HFT shops snipe every contract at each specific price with a shotgun of limit orders, which is far safer, but something only near-market compute resources can do really well). For retail, or old-tech pros, if you want all the contracts quickly, you drop a market order loaded with big bucks and see what you get... BUT, some clever shark had contracts available for the reasonable sum of... $4,400, or something around that. I was too stunned to grab a screencap. The buy market order swept the book clean and ran right into that glorious, nigh-obscene backstop limit. So someone got nearly $440,000 PER CONTRACT that was, at the time theoretically priced at around $15,000. $425,000 loss... PER CONTRACT. Maybe I'm not giving the buyer enough credit.. you can get sniped like that even if you try to do a safety check of the order book first, but, especially in low liquidity environments, if a HFT can peak into your order flow (or maybe just observes a high volume of sweeps occurring), they can end up front running your sweep, pick off the reasonable contracts, and slam a ridiculous limit sell order into place before your order makes it to the exchange. Either way, I hope that sweep wasn't loaded for bear into the millions. If so... OUCH. Someone got cleaned out.
So, the lesson here folks... in a super high volatility, low-liquidity market, a market order will just run up the ladder into the first sell order it can find, and some very brutal people will put limit sells like that out there just in case they hit the jackpot. And someone did. If you're on the winning side, great. It can basically bankrupt you if you're on the losing side. My recommendation: Just don't try it. I wouldn't be surprised if really shady shenanigans were involved in this, but no way to know (normally that's crazy-type talk, but after today....peeking at order flow and sniping sweeps is one of the fastest, most financially devastating ways to bleed big long-side players, just sayin').
edit *so while I was too busy trying not to spit out my coffee to grab a screenshot, piddlesthethug was faster on the draw and captured this: https://imgur.com/gallery/RI1WOuu
Ok, so I guess my in-the-moment mental math was off by about 10%. Man, that hurts just thinking about the guy who lost on that trade.*
Back to the market action..

A Ray of Light Through the Darkness

So I was worried watching the crazy downward movement for two different reasons.
On the one hand, I was worried the momentum pros would get the best discounts on the dip (I'll admit, I FOMO'd in too early, unnecessarily raising my cost basis).
On the other hand, I was worried for the retail people on Robin Hood who might be bailing out into incredibly steep losses because they had only two options: Watch the slide, or bail. All while dealing with what looked to me like a broad-based cloud CDN outage as they tried to get info from WSB HQ, and wondering if the insta-flood of bot messages were actually real people this time, and that everyone else was bailing on them to leave them holding the bag.
But I saw the retail flag flying high on the 3rd market halt (IIRC), and I knew most would be ok. What did I see, you ask? Why, the glorious $211.00 / $5,000 bid/ask spread. WSB Reddit is down? Those crazy mofos give you the finger right on the ticker tape. I've been asked many times in the last few hours about why I was so sure shorts weren't covering on the down move. THIS is how I knew. For sure. It's in the market data itself.
edit So, there's feedback in the comments that this is likely more of a technical glitch. Man, at least it was hilarious in the moment. But also now I know maybe not to trust price updates when the spread between orders being posted is so wide. Maybe a technical limitation of TOS
I'll admit, I tried to one-up those bros with a 4206.90 limit sell order, but it never made it through. I'm impressed that the HFT guys at the hedge fund must have realized really quickly what a morale booster that kind of thing would have been, and kept a lower backstop ask in place almost continuously from then on I'm sure others tried the same thing. Occasionally $1,000 and other high-dollar asks would peak through from time to time from then on, which told me the long-side HFTs were probably successfully sniping the backstops regularly.
So, translating for those of you who found that confusing. First, such a high ask is basically a FU to the short-side (who, as you remember, need to eventually buy shares to cover their short positions). More importantly, as an indicator of retail sentiment, it meant that NO ONE ELSE WAS TRYING TO SELL AT ANY PRICE LOWER THAN $5,000. Absolutely no one was bailing out.
I laughed for a minute, then started getting a little worried. Holy cow.. NO retail selling into the fear? How are they resisting that kind of price move??
The answer, as we all know now... they weren't afraid... they weren't even worried. They were F*CKING PISSED.
Meanwhile the momentum guys and long-side HFTs keep gobbling up the generously donated shares that the short-side are plowing into their ladder attack. Lots of HFT duels going on as long-side HFTs try to intercept shares meant to travel between short-side HFT accounts for their ladder. You can tell when you see prices like $227.0001 constantly flying across the tape. Retail can't even attempt to enter an order like that--those are for the big boys with privileged low-latency access.
The fact that you can even see that on the tape with human eyes is really bad for the short-side people.
Why, you ask? Because it means liquidity is drying up, and fast.

The Liquidity Tide is Flowing Out Quickly. Who's Naked (short)?

Market technicals time. I still wish this sub would allow pictures so I could throw up a chart, but I guess a table will do fine.
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Date	Volume	Price at US Market Close
Friday, 1/22/21	197,157,196	$65.01
Monday, 1/25/21	177,874,00	$76.79
Tuesday, 1/26/21	178,587,974	$147.98
Wednesday, 1/27/21	93,396,666	$347.51
Thursday, 1/28/21	58,815,805	$193.60

What do I see? I see the shares available to trade dropping so fast that all the near-exchange compute power in the world won't let the short-side HFTs maintain order flow volume for their attacks. Many retail people asking me questions thought today was the heaviest trading. Nope--it was just the craziest.
What about the price dropping on Thursday? Is that a sign that the short-side pulled a miracle out and pushed price down against a parabolic move on even less volume than Wednesday? Is the long side running out of capital?
Nope. It means the short-side hedge funds are just about finished.
But wait, I thought the price needed to be higher for them to be taken out? How is it that price being lower is bad for them? Won't that allow them to cover at a lower price?
No, the volume is so low that they can't cover any meaningful fraction of their position without spiking the price parabolic almost instantly. Just not enough shares on offer at reasonable prices (especially when WSB keeps flashing you 6942.00s).
It's true, a higher price hurts, but the interest charge for one more day is just noise at this point. The only tick that will REALLY count is the last tick of trading on Friday.
In the meantime, the price drop (and watching the sparring in real time) tells me that the long-side whales and their HFT quants are so certain of the squeeze that they're no longer worried AT ALL about whether it will happen, and they aren't even worried at all about retail morale to help carry the water anymore.
Instead, they're now really, really worried about how CHEAPLY they can make it happen.
They are wondering if they can't edge out just a sliver more alpha out of what will already be a blow-out trade for the history books (probably). You see, to make it happen they just have to keep hoovering up shares. It doesn't matter what those shares cost. If you're certain that the squeeze is now locked in, why push the price up and pay more than you have to? Just keep pressing hard enough to force short-side to keep sending those tasty shares your way, but not so much you move the price. Short-side realizes this and doesn't try to drive price down too aggressively. They can't afford to let price run away, so they have to keep some pressure on at the lowest volume they can manage, but they don't want to push down too hard and give the long-side HFTs too deep of a discount and bleed their ammo out even faster. That dynamic keeps price within a narrow (for GME today, anyway) trading range for the rest of the day into the close.
Good plan guys, but those after market people are pushing the price up again. Damnit WSB bros and Euros, you're costing those poor long-side whales their extra 0.0000001% of alpha on this trade just so you can run up your green rockets... See, that's the kind of nonsense that just validates Lee Cooperman's concerns.
On a totally unrelated note, I have to say that I appreciate the shift in CNBC's reporting. Much more thoughtful and informed. Just please get a good market technician in there who will be willing to talk about what is going on under the hood if possible. A lot of people watching on the sidelines are far more terrified than they need to be because it all looks random to them. And they're worried that you guys look confused and worried--and if the experts on the news are worried....??!
You should be able to find one who has access to the really good data that we retailers can only guess at, who can explain it to us unwashed masses.

Ok, So.. Questions

There is no market justification for this. How can you tell me is this fundamentally sound and not just straight throwing money away irresponsibly?? (side note: not that that should matter--if you want to throw your money away why shouldn't you be allowed to?)
We're not trading in your securities pricing model. This isn't irrational just because your model says long and short positions are the same thing. The model is not a real market. There is asymmetrical counterparty risk here given the shorts are on the hook for all the money they have, and possibly all the money their brokers have, and possibly anyone with exposure to the broker too! You may want people to trade by the rules you want them to follow. But the rest of us trade in the real market as it is actually implemented. Remember? That's what you tell the retailers who take their accounts to zero. Remember what you told the KBIO short-squeezed people? They had fair warning that short positions carry infinite risk, including more than your initial investment. You guys know this. It's literally part of your job to know this.
But-but-the systemic risk!! This is Madness!
...Madness?
THIS. IS. THE MARKET!!! *Retail kicks the short-side hedge funds down an infinity loss black hole\*.
Ok, seriously though, that is actually a fundamentally sound, and properly profit-driven answer at least as justifiable as the hedge funds' justification for going >100% of float short. If they can be allowed to gamble INFINITE LOSSES because they expect to make profit on the possibility the company goes bankrupt, can't others do the inverse on the possibility the company I don't know.. doesn't go bankrupt and gets a better strategy from the team that created what is now a $43bn market cap company (CHWY) that does exactly some of the things GME needs to do (digital revenue growth) maybe? I mean, I first bought in on that fundamental value thesis in the 30s and then upped my cost basis given the asymmetry of risk in the technical analysis as an obvious no-brainer momentum trade. The squeeze is just, as WSB people might say, tendies raining down from on high as an added bonus.
I get that you disagree on the fundamental viability of GME. Great. Isn't that what makes a market?
Regarding the consequences of a squeeze, in practice my expectation was maybe at worst some kind of ex-market settlement after liquidation of the funds with exposure to keep things nice and orderly for the rest of the market. I mean, they handled the VW thing somehow right? I see now that I just underestimated elite hedge fund managers though--those guys are so hardcore (I'll explain why I think so a bit lower down).
If hedge fund people are so hardcore, how did the retail long side ever have a chance of winning this squeeze trade they're talking about?
Because it's an asymmetrical battle once you have short interest cornered. And the risk is also crazily asymmetrical in favor of the long side if short interest is what it is in GME. In fact, the hedge funds essentially cornered themselves without anyone even doing anything. They just dug themselves right in there. Kind of impressive really, in a weird way.
What does the short side need to cover? They need the price to be low, and they need to buy shares.
How does price move lower? You have to push share volume such that supply overwhelms demand and price therefore goes down (man, I knew econ 101 would come in handy someday).
But wait... if you have to sell shares to push the price down.. won't you just undo all your work when you have to buy it back to actually cover?
The trick is you have to push price down so hard, so fast, so unpredictably, that you SCARE OTHER PEOPLE into selling their shares too, because they're scared of taking losses. Their sales help push the price down for free! and then you scoop them up at discount price! Also, there are ways to make people scared other than price movement and fear of losses, when you get right down to it. So, you know, you just need to get really, really, really good at making people scared. Remember to add a line item to your budget to make sure you can really do it right.
On the other hand..
What does the long side need to do? They need to own as much of the shares as they can get their hands on. And then they need to hold on to them. They can't be weak hands either. They need to be hands that will hold even under the most intense heat of battle, and the immense pressure of mind-numbing fear... they need to be as if they were made of... diamond... (oh wow, maybe those WSB people kind of have a point here).
Why does this matter? Because at some point the sell side will eventually run out of shares to borrow. They simply won't be there, because they'll be safely tucked away in the long-side's accounts. Once you run out of shares to borrow and sell, you have no way to move the price anymore. You can't just drop a fat stack--excuse me, I mean suitcase (we're talking hedge fund money here after all)--of Benjamins on the ticker tape directly. Only shares. No more shares, no way to have any direct effect on the price whatsoever.
Ok, doesn't that just mean trading stops? Can't you just out-wait the long side then?
Well, you could.. until someone on the long side puts 1 share up on a 69420 ask, and an even crazier person actually buys at that price on the last tick on a Friday. Let's just say it gets really bad at that point.
Ok.. but how do the retail people actually get paid?
Well, to be quite honest, it's entirely up to each of them individually. You've seen the volumes being thrown around the past week+. I guarantee you every single retailer out there could have printed money multiple times trading that flow. If they choose to, and time it well. Or they could lose it all--this is the market. Some of them apparently seem to have some plan, or an implicit trust in certain individuals to help them know when to punch out. Maybe it works out, but maybe not. There will be financial casualties on the field for sure--this is the bare-knuckled capitalist jungle after all, remember? But everyone ponied up to the table with their own money somehow, so they all get to play in the big leagues just like everyone else. In theory, anyway.
And now, Probably the #1 question I've been asked on all of these posts has been: So what happens next? Do we get the infinity squeeze? Do the hedge funds go down?
Great questions. I don't know. No one does. That's what I've said every time, but I get that's a frustrating answer, so I'll write a bit more and speculate further. Please again understand these are my opinions with a degree of speculation I wouldn't normally put in a post.

The Market and the Economy. Main Street, Wall Street, and Washington

The pandemic has hurt so many people that it's hard to comprehend. Honestly, I don't even pretend to be able to. I have been crazy fortunate enough to almost not be affected at all. Honestly, it is a little unnerving to me how great the disconnect is between people who are doing fine (or better than fine, looking at my IRA) versus the people who are on the opposite side of the ever-widening divide that, let's be honest, has been growing wider since long before the pandemic.
People on the other side--who have been told they cannot work even if they want to, who wonder if congress will get it together to at least keep them from getting thrown out of their house if they have to keep taking one for the team for the good of all, are wondering if they're even living in the same reality.
Because all they see on the news each day is that the stock market is at record highs, or some amazing tech stocks have 10x'd in the last 6 months. How can that be happening during a pandemic? Because The Market is not The Economy. The Market looks forward to that brighter future that Economy types just need to wait for. Don't worry--it'll be here sometime before the end of the year. We think. We're making money on that assumption right now, anyway. Oh, by the way, if you're in The Market, you get to get richer as a minor, unearned side-effect of the solutions our governments have come up with to fight the pandemic.
Wow. That sounds amazing. How do I get to part of that world?
Retail fintech, baby. Physical assets like real estate might be a bit out of reach at the moment, but stocks will do. I can even buy fractional shares of BRK/A LOL.
Finally, I can trade for my own slice of heaven, watching that balance go up (and up--go stonks!!). Now I too get to dream the dream. I get to feel connected to that mythical world, The Market, rather than being stuck in the plain old Economy. Sure, I might blow up my account, but that's because it's the jungle. Bare-knuckled, big league capitalism going on right here, and at least I get to show up an put my shares on the table with everyone else. At least I'm playing the same game. Everyone has to start somewhere--at least now I get to start, even if I have to learn my lesson by zeroing my account a few times. I've basically had to deal with what felt like my life zeroing out a few times before. This is number on a screen going to 0 is nothing.
Laugh or cry, right? I'll post my losses on WSB and at least get some laughs.
Geez, some of the people here are making bank. I better learn from them and see if they'll let me in on their trades. Wow... this actually might work. I don't understand yet, but I trust these guys telling me to hold onto this crazy trade. I don't understand it, but all the memes say it's going to be big.
...WOW... I can pay off my credit card with this number. Do I punch out now? No? Hold?... Ok, getting nervous watching the number go down but I trust you freaks. We're still in the jungle, but at least I'm in with with my posse now. Market open tomorrow--we ride the rocket baby! And if it goes down, at least I'm going down with my crew. At least if that happens the memes will be so hilarious I'll forget to cry.
Wow.. I can't believe it... we might actually pull this off. Laugh at us now, "pros"!
We're in The Market now, and Market rules tell us what is going to happen. We're getting all that hedge fund money Right? Right?
Maybe.
First, I say maybe because nothing is ever guaranteed until it clears. Secondly, because the rules of The Market are not as perfectly enforced as we would like to assume. We are also finding out they may not be perfectly fair. The Market most experts are willing to talk about is really more like the ideal The Market is supposed to be. This is the version of the market I make my trading decisions in. However, the Real Market gets strange and unpredictable at the edges, when things are taken to extremes, or rules are pushed beyond the breaking point, or some of the mechanics deep in the guts of the Real Market get stretched. GME ticks basically all of those boxes, which is why so many people are getting nervous (aside from the crazy money they might lose). It's also important to remember that the sheer amount of money flowing through the market has distorting power unto itself. Because it's money, and people really, really, really like their money--especially when they're used to having a lot of it, and rules involving that kind of money tend to look more... flexible, shall we say.
Ok, back to GME. If this situation with GME is allowed to play out to its conclusion in The Market, we'll see what happens. I think all the long-side people get the chance to be paid (what, I'm not sure--and remember, you have to actually sell your position at some point or it's all still just numbers on your screen), but no one knows for certain.
But this might legitimately get so big that it spills out of The Market and back into The Economy.
Geez, and here I thought the point of all of this was so that we all get to make so much money we wouldn't ever have to think and worry about that thing again.
Unfortunately, while he's kind of a buzzkill, Thomas Petterfy has a point. This could be a serious problem.
It might blow out The Market, which will definitely crap on The Economy, which as we all know from hard experience, will seriously crush Main Street.
If it's that big a deal, we may even need Washington to be involved. Once that happens, who knows what to expect.. this kind of scenario being possible is why I've been saying I have no idea how this ends, and no one else does either.
How did we end up in this ridiculous situation? From GAMESTOP?? And it's not Retail's fault the situation is what it is.. why is everyone telling US that we need to back down to save The Market?? What about the short-side hedge funds that slammed that risk into the system to begin with?? We're just playing by the rules of The Market!!
Well, here are my thoughts, opinions, and some even further speculation... This may be total fantasy land stuff here, but since I keep getting asked I'll share anyway. Just keep that disclaimer in mind.

A Study in Big Finance Power Moves: If you owe the bank $10,000, it's your problem...

What happens when you owe money you have no way to pay back? It's a scary question to have to face personally. Still, on balance and on average, if you're fortunate enough to have access to credit the borrowing is a risk that is worth taking (especially if you're reasonably careful). Lenders can take a risk loaning you money, you take a risk by borrowing in order to do something now that you would otherwise have had to wait a long time or maybe would never have realistically been able to do otherwise. Sometimes it doesn't work out. Sometimes it's due to reasons totally beyond your control. In any case, if you find yourself there you have no choice but to dust yourself off, pick yourself up as best as you can, and try to move on and rebuild. A lot of people had to learn that in 2008. Man that year really sucked.
Wall street learned their lessons too. Most learned what I think most of us would consider the right lessons--lessons about risk management, and the need to guard vigilantly against systemic risk, concentration of risk through excess concentration of leverage on common assets, etc. Many suspect that at least a few others may have learned an entirely different set of, shall we say, unhealthy lessons. Also, to try to be completely fair, maybe managing other peoples' money on 10x+ leverage comes with a kind of pressure that just clouds your judgement. I could actually, genuinely buy that. I know I make mistakes under pressure even when I'm trading risk capital I could totally lose with no real consequence. Whatever the motive, here's my read on what's happening:
First, remember that as much fun as WSB are making of the short-side hedge fund guys right now, those guys are smart. Scary smart. Keep that in mind.
Next, let's put ourselves in their shoes.
If you're a high-alpha hedge fund manager slinging trades on a $20bn 10x leveraged to 200bn portfolio, get caught in a bad situation, and are down mark-to-market several hundred million.. what do you do? Do you take your losses and try again next time? Hell no.
You're elite. You don't realize losses--you double down--you can still save this trade no sweat.
But what if that doesn't work out so well and you're in the hole >$2bn? Obvious double down. Need you ask? I'm net up on the rest of my positions (of course), and the momentum when this thing makes its mean reversion move will be so hot you can almost taste the alpha from here. Speaking of momentum, imagine the move if your friends on TV start hyping the story harder! Genius!
Ok, so that still didn't work... this is now a frigging 7 sigma departure from your modeled risk, and you're now locked into a situation that is about as close to mathematically impossible to escape as you can get in the real world, and quickly converging on infinite downside. Holy crap. The fund might be liquidated by your prime broker by tomorrow morning--and man, even the broker is freaking out. F'in Elon Musk and his twitter! You're cancelling your advance booking on his rocket ship to Mars first thing tomorrow... Ok, focus--this might legit impact your total annual return. You need a plan, and you know the smartest people on the planet, right? The masters of the universe! Awesome--they've even seen this kind of thing before and still have the playbook!! Of course! It's obvious now--you borrow a few more billion and double down again first thing in the morning. So simple. Sticky note that Mars trip cancellation so you don't forget.
Ok... so that didn't work? You even cashed in some pretty heavy chits too. Ah well, that was a long shot anyway. So where were you? Oh yeah.. if shenanigans don't work, skip to page 10...
...Which says, of course, to double down again. Anyone even keeping track anymore? Oh, S3 says it's $40bn and we're going parabolic? Man, that chart gives me goosebumps. All according to plan...
So what happens tomorrow? One possible outcome of PURE FANTASTIC SPECULATION...
End of the week--phew. Never though it'd come. Where are you at now?... Over $9000^\)!!! Wow. You did it boys, and as a bonus the memes will be so sweet.
^\)side note: add 8 zeros to the end...
Awesome--your problems have been solved. Because...
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..
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BOOM
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Now it's EVERYONE's problem. Come at me, Chamath, THIS is REAL baller shit.
Now all you gotta do is make all the hysterical retirees watching their IRAs hanging in the balance blame those WSB kids. Hahaha. Boomers, amirite? hate when those kids step on their law--I mean IRAs. GG guys, keep you memes. THAT is how it's done.
Ok, but seriously, I hope that's not how it ends. I guess we just take it day by day at this point.
Apologies for the length. Good luck in the market!
Also, apologies in advance for formatting, spelling, and grammatical errors. I was typing this thing in between doing all kinds of other things for most of the day.
Edit getting a bunch of questions on if it's possible the hedge funds are finding ways to cover in spite of my assumptions. Of course. I'm a retail guy trying to read the charts and price action. I don't have any special tools like the pros may have.

Game Information

Game Title: Hitman 3
Platforms:

• Nintendo Switch (Jan 20, 2021)
• PlayStation 4 (Jan 20, 2021)
• Xbox One (Jan 20, 2021)
• Google Stadia (Jan 20, 2021)
• PlayStation 5 (Jan 20, 2021)
• Xbox Series X/S (Jan 20, 2021)

Trailers:

• HITMAN 3 - Launch Trailer (4K)
• HITMAN 3 - Opening Cinematic
• Introducing HITMAN 3 (Gameplay Trailer) [4K]
• HITMAN 3 - Nintendo Switch Announcement
• HITMAN 3 - The Thornbridge Mystery (England Location Reveal)
• HITMAN 3 - VR Announcement Trailer
• HITMAN 3 - The End of A Journey (Developer Insights)
• HITMAN 3 - Announcement Trailer
• HITMAN 3 - Dubai Cinematic Gameplay Trailer

Publisher: IO Interactive
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 87 average - 97% recommended - 63 reviews

Critic Reviews

33bits - Euyen Esquefa Pons - Spanish - 90 / 100

Hitman 3, more than a third installment of a video game sub-saga, is more like a third season of it. It is totally continuous and does not hide in this sense. It is true that it does not add anything substantial, but it is also true that the base it inherits is very, very good. And the new maps show the experience already acquired from the two previous games, offering us some of the best maps of the trilogy.

3DNews - Михаил Пономарев - Russian - 7 / 10

Despite the plot flaws and disappointing ending, Hitman 3 remains a fine assassin playground with a huge gameplay variety.

ACG - Jeremy Penter - Buy

While it has some inconsistencies, Hitman 3 delivers the best story the Hitman games have had, and a couple tremendous levels, as well as almost endless substantial replayability.

Ars Technica - Sam Machkovech - Unscored

A solid if unambitious expansion pack—and that should tell you whether to buy this one or catch up on Hitman 2 instead.

Atomix - Sebastian Quiroz - Spanish - 85 / 100

Hitman III is one of the first strong cards of the year. IO Interactive has given us an entertaining experience focused on experimentation and replayability that no fan of the stealth genre can miss.

Attack of the Fanboy - Diego Perez - 5 / 5 stars

Hitman 3 is the ultimate murder simulator. Now that the World of Assassination trilogy is finally complete, there's no excuse to not play Hitman. In order to truly appreciate the game's intricacies, you have to commit to replaying levels, attempting challenges, and testing out new strategies. However, if you put in the time, you'll be treated to one of the most engaging and rewarding stealth experiences in all of gaming.

COGconnected - Paul Sullivan - 92 / 100

The locations and level designs in Hitman 3 are among the best IO Interactive have built.

Checkpoint Gaming - Charlie Kelly - 9 / 10

Hitman 3 is a beautiful, wonderful and exceptionally well-made game that I’m so glad exists. IO Interactive have created something simply amazing that should be lauded for being right up there with the smartest design in the industry.

Critical Hit - Darryn Bonthuys - 8.5 / 10

Hitman 3 is full of surprises beneath its familiar systems. It manages to break out of its own sandbox without disrupting its formula too much, ending on a subtle note that brings the world of assassination saga to a satisfying end.

Cubed3 - Luke Hemming - 9 / 10

Hitman 3 succeeds in every respect by being a fantastic ending to analready great series. It's also a joy to see that IO Interactive ensured players would be able to slip right back into the shoes of a veteran killer,but didn'trest on their laurels by not offering anything new. Although the touches of permanent shortcuts and new gadgets may seem small, once implemented it's hard to imagine playing without them as they integrate seamlessly into mission stories. Add to that the same freedom to approach a hit that the series is famous for, as well as ensuring every playground looks absolutely stunning and its clear that even without good friends, Agent 47 really does find the perfect blend.

Cultured Vultures - Ashley Bates - 9 / 10

Hitman 3 takes everything good about the rebooted series and combines it with worthwhile features and levels that are more interactive than ever before to create one of the best stealth games of the last decade.

DASHGAMER.com - Dan Rizzo - 9 / 10

Hitman 3 is unequivocally IO’s magnum opus; a tour de force within the overall longstanding Hitman franchise, and its essential pick within the trilogy. [...] leads the charge in 2021 for compelling action-adventure.

Destructoid - Chris Carter - 9 / 10

Coupled with extra gadgets (some of which can be imported - though not as swimmingly on PC), Hitman 3 is really fun to dive back into; or introduce someone to for that matter, just to see what they come up with. It's the little things that add up and really make Hitman 3 special.

Digital Trends - Tom Caswell - 4 / 5 stars

A satisfying conclusion to the trilogy with the best locations in the series

DualShockers - Kris Cornelisse - 8 / 10

New levels, new targets, new graphical improvements, same Hitman taste. Hitman 3 won't be everyone's cup of tea, but the niche should be extremely satisfied.

EGM - Michael Goroff - 10 / 10

Hitman 3 is a fantastic capstone to a standout series. Yes, a lot of what you experience will seem familiar if you've played the last two games, but IO Interactive continues to take interesting risks that largely play off while still perfecting the elements that make Hitman so special. The best compliment I can pay Hitman 3 is that I want to finish writing this review so I can go back to playing it.

Eurogamer - Edwin Evans-Thirlwell - Recommended

IO's final World of Assassination game is closer to a seasonal content update than a sequel, but it's a thrilling endeavour all the same.

Everyeye.it - Giuseppe Arace - Italian - 8 / 10

Killer who kills you don't change. IO Interactive does not revolutionize its playful formula, widely gnawed in the excellent Hitman 2, and proposes it again with slight but pleasant additions also in the third and (perhaps) last chapter of the World of Assassination saga. Agent 47 returns more shrewd and lethal than ever before, within an experience that knows how to enhance the murderous instincts of gamers. All this takes the form of a stealth adventure full of possibilities, a sandbox full of ideas and alternative solutions that stimulate the variety of approaches and benefit from a level design sometimes in a state of grace. A few falls in style in the last stage, a story only of contour and a general lack of courage in a fixting some stumbles of the past episodes, such as a not-so-exciting IA and very coarse shooter phases, however, prevent Hitman 3 from taking a big step forward compared to the second act. The work therefore moves in perfect continuity with what is...

Game Informer - Jeff Cork - 9 / 10

Agent 47's journey ends on a high note, at least as far as players are concerned. New levels are memorable and cater to the freedom fans have come to expect

Game Rant - Cameron Corliss - 4.5 / 5 stars

All told, though, Hitman 3 is one of the best stealth games ever made.

Game Revolution - Michael Leri - 8.5 / 10

The bald, barcoded assassin has had many hits in his 21-year career, but even though it might be his last for quite some time, Hitman 3 is one of 47’s best executions yet.

GameByte - Sara Heritage - 9 / 10 stars

Hitman 3 feels like a love letter to the ‘World of Assassination’ and I can’t think of a better way to conclude the series. With its delightfully witty dialogue and the fact that all existing Hitman content (as long as you’ve bought Hitman and Hitman 2) has progression carry over into Hitman 3, this game is a joy to play and the best Hitman has ever been. It takes all the best parts of the series we’ve come to love and leaves us with a bittersweet, Agent 47-sized gap in our hearts.

GameMAG - Russian - 9 / 10

There's simply not a lot of stealth-action games that can hold a candle to Hitman III, with its hours upon hours of engaging gameplay and high replayability. The sheer variety of different locations and missions, and also the inclusion of all the legacy content, turns this title into something you don't want to miss at the start of 2021.

GamePro - Dennis Michel - German - 82 / 100

Hitman 3 is exactly what fans of the IO Interactive games expect: an open sandbox dream in which thousands of paths lead to Rome or rather to Berlin, Dubai, China, England, Argentina and Romania. On this point, there is simply no second genre representative who leaves so much room for our creativity. The six locations are wonderfully varied and great, but I never got rid of the feeling of playing a story DLC here. After a good five to six hours, that's it.

GameSkinny - Mark Delaney - 9 / 10 stars

Hitman 3 brings to a close one of gaming's great trilogies with one last display of immaculate level design and intoxicating mood from IO Interactive.

GameSpew - Richard Seagrave - 9 / 10

Chances are we aren’t going to be placed in control of Agent 47 again; at least for a fair while, anyway. But with Hitman 3, IO Interactive has at least made sure he’s had a worthy send-off.

GameSpot - Phil Hornshaw - 9 / 10

What's good about Hitman--its level design and the creativity, experimentation, and exploration that affords--is great in Hitman 3. It closes out the trilogy by brilliantly playing off everything that came before it

GameWatcher - Marcello Perricone - 9 / 10

Hitman III is a fascinating finale to the franchise that shyly continues the series' tradition to iterate and improve on each entry.

GameZone - Cade Onder - 8.5 / 10

While Hitman 3 is the end of this trilogy, it's clear IO will be coming back to 47 after they play around in the 007 sandbox for a while. This isn't so much the end of Hitman as it is this iteration of 47 and I will be eagerly awaiting his return.

Gameblog - Gianni Molinaro - French - 9 / 10

Could IO Interactive have ended the World of Assassination Trilogy better ? Probably not. Even if Hitman 3 sticks to previous episodes formula and plays it safe, keeping its usual flaws, it offers gorgeous and incredibly well-convceived destinations that will indeed please fans. There are so many good trails to follow, so many possibilities that you'll sure end up with the urge to try everything in order to go for the perfect kill. If you own Hitman 1 and Hitman 2, there is some serious amount of challenges waiting. A PlayStation VR ? Prepare for a game-changing experience.

GamesBeat - Jeff Grubb - 5 / 5 stars

Hitman is a world made up entirely of Chekhov’s guns, and it’s a blast finding out how to get Agent 47 into position to pull the trigger.

GamesRadar+ - Leon Hurley - 4.5 / 5 stars

A slick and entertaining conclusion to the trilogy.

GamingBolt - Shubhankar Parijat - 9 / 10

Hitman 3 represents the peak of the series, of IO Interactive, and of the social stealth genre.

God is a Geek - Chris White - 8.5 / 10

Hitman 3 is a satisfying farewell to Agent 47, with stunning locations, and endless opportunities to take out your targets.

Hardcore Gamer - Adam Beck - 3.5 / 5

In the current trilogy, Hitman 3 would be considered the weaker of the three.

Hobby Consolas - David Martinez - Spanish - 80 / 100

Hitman 3 is a good entry in the series. It deliver beautiful levels, such as Dartmoor or Chonqing, new assassination tools and it allows players to import maps from the previous games (with improved graphics), buy still, it´s mechanics and some AI elements feel outdated.

IGN - Luke Reilly - 9 / 10

Rich, rewarding, and highly replayable, Hitman 3 is one of the barcoded butcher's best appearances.

IGN Italy - Andrea Giongiani - Italian - 8 / 10

A nice conclusion to the World of Assassination trilogy. Hitman III is "just" more of the same, but that's not a problem when the original material is that good.

Kotaku - Riley MacLeod - Unscored

Narratively and structurally, Hitman 3 strips its own make believe away, leaving the series’ core darkness on display.

Metro GameCentral - Patrick Dane - 8 / 10

A great finale to the World of Assassination trilogy and the perfect time to end the reboot era, as the once revolutionary formula begins to show its age.

MonsterVine - Diego Escala - 5 / 5

Hitman 3 is a phenomenal closer to what has been an excellent trilogy in a series I hold dear.

Noisy Pixel - Azario Lopez - 9 / 10

Hitman 3 builds on the structure of its predecessors but doesn't recycle old mechanics. Its creative sandbox systems encourage multiple playthroughs with possible outcomes only limited by your imagination. Returning fans will get the most of this narrative as it ties up a few loose ends but doesn't totally stick the landing. It's absolutely brilliant in execution, though, as you replay missions for different results providing the most robust experience to those who spend the most time playing.

PC Gamer - Andy Kelly - 90 / 100

A beautiful, deep, and endlessly replayable murder sandbox, featuring some of the best levels in the series.

PCGamesN - Jordan Forward - 8 / 10

Another fine outing for Agent 47, and a fitting, hopefully brief, farewell to one of the best stealth series of the last decade.

PlayStation Universe - Neil Bolt - 9 / 10

Hitman 3 closes out the World of Assassination Trilogy with developer IO Interactive in confident mood. Lessons learned from the past five or six years have worked their way into this splendid epitaph for a series that looked dead and buried more than once along the way. As with its predecessor's, there are some lows to go with the highs, but those highs? They are truly something special and make the future of IO Interactive an exciting prospect.

Player2.net.au - Matt Hewson - A or higher

A franchise like no other comes to an epic and satisfying conclusion. Hitman III is the culmination of both story and development skill that will leave fans everywhere smiling with joy.

Polygon - Samit Sarkar - Unscored

IO Interactive delivers a terrific, thrilling finale for its trilogy

PowerUp! - Leo Stevenson - 9 / 10

It's enormously addictive and is endlessly replayable. For one of the first major releases in 2021, Hitman is an absolute home run

Press Start - James Mitchell - 8.5 / 10

HITMAN III is a decidedly epic conclusion to the events established in the first two games. It offers fantastic, well-realised locales with objectives that are unconventional, at least by HITMAN standards, to come out feeling fresh. Though in pursuit of this, it has lost a bit of the breadth we've come to expect from the series. Ultimately, it delivers what it promised to - a strong conclusion to the trilogy.

Push Square - Sammy Barker - 9 / 10

On its own, Hitman 3 is a moody conclusion to a generation-defining trilogy, but when taken as a complete compilation, it's the ultimate stealth sandbox. IO Interactive has honed its gameplay formula to perfection, and it's on top form here

Rectify Gaming - Dave Rodriguez - 9.6 / 10

After two decades of pasta cans, silver ballers, suitcase snipers and more, Hitman 3 delivers the perfect hit.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Brendan Caldwell - Unscored

As a final act, Hitman 3 is as capable and pleasing as its trilogy-siblings. As a trilogy, it is one of the most fun-loving games of the previous decade.

Screen Rant - Christopher Teuton - 4.5 / 5 stars

Hitman 3 is the best of the newer Hitman games and quite possibly the best Hitman game in the franchise.

Shacknews - Bill Lavoy - 9 / 10

It’s great on its own, but combined with Hitman (2016) and Hitman 2 it helps make up the masterpiece which is the World of Assassination trilogy.

Spaziogames - Italian - 8.8 / 10

Hitman 3 is an amazingly crafted epilogue for the World of Assassination trilogy and the best modern Hitman yet.

The Games Machine - Daniele Dolce - Italian - 9 / 10

Hitman 3 dances asymptotically with the concept of perfection, often approaching it without ever really grasping its essence. Nevertheless, IO Interactive manages to improve and refine a well-established formula, while offering a a truly satisfying conclusion to 47's struggle against Providence. Although there are some flaws, they're almost entirely eclipsed by the incredible quality of everything else.

TheSixthAxis - Jim Hargreaves - 8 / 10

Charting the series' progress since that 2016 Paris debut has been a fascinating journey. IO have learned a lot over the past five years and that really shows in Hitman 3. It's a flashier, more fluid evolution of IO's original template - a rewarding conclusion to one of the most unique video game franchises around, and one we'll continue playing for many weeks and months to come.

TrueAchievements - Sean Carey - 4.5 / 5 stars

All in all, IO Interactive has stuck with what it knows best with Hitman 3: gorgeously crafted open playgrounds for the player to wreak slick and murderous havoc in.

TrueGaming - نواف النغموش - Arabic - 9 / 10

Hitman 3 is the quintessential stealth game.

Twinfinite - Tom Hopkins - 4 / 5

Without straying far from the successful sandbox formula, it’s an excellent final part of IO’s trilogy. While the increased freedom and level variety won’t be for everyone, Hitman 3 boasts some of the best locations and stories the series has ever seen, and there’s so much to uncover in each and every one of them.

VG247 - Alex Donaldson - 5 / 5 stars

Taken individually, Hitman 3 feels like great value, with plenty of variety and lots to do. When taken as a whole, the World of Assassination trilogy is hands-down one of the best and most complete-feeling trilogies in video game history.

WellPlayed - Dylan Blereau - 8.5 / 10

Hitman 3 does an excellent job of wrapping up the World of Assassination Trilogy, pairing the predictable yet enjoyable narrative with the refined and forever reliable Hitman gameplay

Windows Central - Zackery Cuevas - 4 / 5 stars

Hitman 3 features some of the most complex and most creative levels in the series history while polishing the gameplay to perfection. Unfortunately, it's held back by some hefty paywalls, uneven mission pacing, and some occasional clunky AI.

Worth Playing - Andreas Salmen - 8.6 / 10

The third Hitman game delivers a satisfying and worthwhile ending to the series and some fun and varied stages, all while adding a bunch of minor adjustments and content that fans will enjoy for hours. If you're a fan of the series, Hitman 3 is a very competent end to the trilogy that provides a massive and deep Hitman experience that is easy to recommend.

Game Information

Game Title: Persona 5 Strikers
Platforms:

• PlayStation 4 (Feb 23, 2021)
• Nintendo Switch (Feb 23, 2021)
• PC (Feb 23, 2021)

Trailers:

• Persona 5 Strikers - The Phantom Thieves Strike Back Trailer | PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC
• Persona 5 Strikers - All-Out-Action Trailer | PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC
• Persona 5 Strikers – Announcement Trailer | PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC

Developers: Omega Force, P-Studio
Publisher: Atlus
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 83 average - 88% recommended - 45 reviews

Critic Reviews

33bits - Euyen Esquefa Pons - Spanish - 85 / 100

Persona 5 Strikers is a worthy sequel to Persona 5, and fans will be delighted with it. With a very good combat system that tries to mix the musou genre with the characteristic contributions of the Persona saga to the battles and a good story, perhaps it is too irregular in some sections to become a round game, but it certainly will not disappoint.

COGconnected - Patrick Anderson - 89 / 100

Fusing the rich game world of Persona with real-time combat, Omega Force and P-Studio have created a new Persona of their own and it is a worthy addition to a classic franchise.

Cerealkillerz - Nick Erlenhof - German - 9 / 10

Persona 5 Strikers not only continues the story of Persona 5 wonderfully, but also works very well as a stand-alone game. It is much more than just another Warriors clone and becomes an action RPG that every fan of the series should definitely check out. The story is not comparable to the level of a Persona 5, but the attention to detail and the fun summer trip across Japan make this game a great holiday with dear friends - and prisons.

DASHGAMER.com - Dan Rizzo - 10 / 10

Persona 5 Strikers is essential gaming this year. The virtue this title carries is for everyone, not just the JRPG enthusiast. an opportunity to portray our favourite group of rascals for one final bow-out. [...] a spectacular sequel

Destructoid - Chris Carter - Unscored

It's early yet to tell whether or not that tried and true formula will overstay its welcome, but Persona 5 Strikers is looking real good so far, as an Omega Force brawler and as a Persona game. It's a bold claim for sure, but it already grabbed me with the promise of more Persona.

Digital Chumps - Eric Layman - 7.5 / 10

Strikers captures the affable singularity of Persona 5 while shifting its perspective from a turn-based slow burn to an action-focused escapade. At the same time, Strikers' devotion to its source material succeeds in keeping the player active and invested amid the turbulence of its strained support structure. It's a summer vacation masquerading as a sequel, and that seems to suit the Phantom Thieves just fine.

Digitally Downloaded - Matt Sainsbury - 4.5 / 5 stars

Koei Tecmo has somehow crafted not only a genuine sequel to Persona 5, the JRPG, but the team has managed to equal it. Or – if action combat is your thing – perhaps even exceed it. That is no mean feat.

Eurogamer - Malindy Hetfeld - No Recommendation / Blank

Persona 5 Strikers is a full-on sequel that tells an engrossing new story, even if its combat doesn't quite have the same wow factor.

GAMES.CH - Franziska Behner - German - 88 / 100

Fast paced Musou battles combined with the typical Persona 5 elements take you on a wild, stylish ride. Perfect for everyone who found P5 too lengthy. Strikers is cool, fast, and a little shambolic.

Game Informer - Brian Shea - 8.5 / 10

While Persona 5 Strikers disappointingly removes the mainline series' social links, it carries over enough familiar elements to feel like a true successor

GameByte - Sara Heritage - 9 / 10

If you loved Persona 5 and wanted to spend more time with Joker and the Phantom Thieves, Persona 5 Strikers is almost everything you could wish for. It’s a fun, zany and heartfelt waltz through the Persona Universe.

GameSkinny - George Yang - 9 / 10 stars

Persona 5 Strikers is a fantastic sequel to the original game. It's fun, stylish, and sleek, a road trip to remember.

GameSpew - Richard Seagrave - 9 / 10

Blending an engaging and often thought-provoking narrative with combat that flirts with both strategy and chaos but always remains fun, Persona 5 Strikers is quite simply one of the best action RPGs I’ve ever played.

GameSpot - Michael Higham - 8 / 10

Persona 5's RPG elements thrive in action-based combat, and while the story may not hit hard, the Phantom Thieves haven't forgotten what they're about.

GaminGuardian - Alberto Morales Palencia - Spanish - 8.5 / 10

Persona 5 Strikers is a magnificent sequel that manages to feel familiar and different at the same time, without forgetting to thrill with its story while offering a pleasant playable change in line with the Action RPG.

GamingTrend - David Flynn - 95 / 100

Persona 5 Strikers is a fantastic sequel to one of the best JRPGs of all time. It's less of a Warriors game and more of an action RPG with fun, fluid combat, great characters, and an excellent story and soundtrack.

Hardcore Gamer - Jacob Bukacek - 4 / 5

Surprising as it may be, Persona 5 Strikers is a solid follow-up to Persona 5.

Hobby Consolas - Álvaro Alonso - Spanish - 85 / 100

If you liked Persona 5 (is there anyone who didn't?), Strikers should be a no-brainer choice. The gameplay isn't exactly our cup of tea, but the story is so interesting, the characters are so lovable and it just looks SO cool, that you would be mad if you didn't accept the Phantoms Thieves calling card.

Nintendo Life - PJ O'Reilly - 8 / 10

Persona 5 Strikers is a slick and stylish spin-off that manages to successfully combine a surprisingly strong story with some satisfying Musou-inspired hack-and-slash action. There are a few issues here and there, with some necessary grinding at points, slight difficulty imbalances and a camera that can be a bit of a pain during busy battles but, overall, this is a thoroughly entertaining action RPG that comes highly recommended.

Nintendo Wire - Ricky Berg - 9 / 10

Persona 5 Strikers may live in the shadow of its lauded game of origin, but with a source that good it’s not such a terrible place to be. Thanks to the Warriors inspired gameplay and vacation theme, all wrapped up in that signature style, it’s the best series spin off since Persona 4 Arena.

NintendoWorldReport - Matthew Zawodniak - 7.5 / 10

Despite that I can't deny how much fun I had with the gameplay, and I'm probably going to end up replaying it on PC for the chance to enjoy it in surround sound (another feature the Switch version weirdly lacks). For as much as the story disappointed me it just wouldn't be true to say I don't like Persona 5 Strikers. I like it a lot, and I felt really happy with it when I finally finished it. It's a game that I want to recommend, but that recommendation has to come with a big caveat: if you're a Persona fan that loves the Phantom Thieves but you're just not interested in the gameplay, it may be more worth your time to just play Persona 5 again.

Noisy Pixel - Jacob Kavanaugh - 9 / 10

I don’t think anyone expected Persona 5 Strikers to be as fleshed out as it is. There's a massive full game here with well over 50 hours of content for you to experience. Further, it's a way to reunite with a cast that you’ve probably already spent just as long with, if not more. The action-RPG systems make for a surprisingly fun and addictive gameloop that isn't overshadowed by the mainline entries and it still offers more than enough unique elements that differentiate it from a Musou title.

PC Gamer - James Davenport - 63 / 100

Strikers walks and talks like Persona 5, but no social game and bland combat make it one strictly for gigafans.

PCGamesN - Diego Arguello - 8 / 10

The Phantom Thieves arrive on PC in a more streamlined form than the main Persona series, but an equally engaging one that's as stylish as it is action packed.

PlayStation Universe - Timothy Nunes - 8 / 10

Persona 5 Strikers takes what's special about the Persona franchise and meshes it with what makes the musuo genre special. Despite some hiccups, Persona 5 Strikers offers up something special: It's equally accessible to newcomers as well as established fans, showcasing all the style of the franchise in all its glory.

Polygon - Ryan Gilliam - Unscored

Persona 5 Strikers is the best version of a high school reunion

PowerUp! - Leo Stevenson - 8.5 / 10

Persona 5 Strikers is my favourite Musou crossover and the first one to truly feel like the guest franchise first and Warriors second.

Press Start - Kieron Verbrugge - 9 / 10

Playing Persona 5 Strikers is like being blessed with a reunion special of a beloved series that ended years ago. It feels different, perhaps through a new lens or just more timely, but the characters you grew to cherish are all back for one last, terrific adventure. Omega Force's influence is clear, but the game walks a confident line between the traditional Persona format and a musou spin-off. If you're a fan, do yourself a favour and don't sleep on this – Strikers is one hell of a road trip that deserves to be considered a proper sequel.

Push Square - Robert Ramsey - 8 / 10

Persona 5 Strikers is a fantastic follow up to a beloved JRPG, carving out its own identity with an excellent action-based combat system. It presents the perfect excuse to hang out with the Phantom Thieves one last time, and does a great job of building upon the established characters and themes of its predecessor. While we doubt that Strikers will be remembered anywhere near as fondly as Persona 5, the game goes beyond expectations to provide a classy companion piece. A must-buy for existing fans.

RPGamer - Alex Fuller - 4.5 / 5

Atlus and Omega Force have ensured that as much as possible of what made Persona 5 so beloved has been transported here and put into an appreciably tight package. Spending extra time with the Phantom Thieves and travelling with them across Japan is a much needed positive experience and well worth it.

Shacknews - TJ Denzer - 8 / 10

A must-have for any fan who wants to go on another heart-stealing adventure with the Phantom Thieves.

Siliconera - Jenni Lada - 8 / 10

Still, Persona 5 Strikers nails the atmosphere perfectly and doesn’t make it feel like you have to review everything beforehand. It succinctly lets you know that the areas you’ll explore are larger and you may have to do a little more research to prepare, but your team has your back. Granted, it is something that will be best enjoyed and appreciated by those who know and love these characters.

Spaziogames - Italian - 8.3 / 10

Quote not yet available

TechRaptor - Peter Glagowski - 6 / 10

A surprisingly polished and experimental game for developer Omega Force, Persona 5 Strikers is overall fairly solid but is hampered with clunky pacing and a lackluster plot.

TheSixthAxis - Nic Bunce - 8 / 10

Persona 5 Strikers is an excellent welcome back party for the franchise. It takes a formula that is proven to work and takes it to a new place by adding a whole new combat system that allows you to play as the whole team, rather than the main character we're all used to. This said, and although Persona 5 Strikers is excellent in its own right, there's enough that's been stripped back to make this game work that it can't reach the lofty heights of the original.

Wccftech - Kai Powell - 8 / 10

Persona 5 Strikers is a fun sequel that builds off the first year of the Phantom Thieves and might be the kind of action-packed sequel that only true fans of the original Persona 5 will desire for.

Windows Central - Samantha Nelson - 5 / 5 stars

Persona 5 Strikers delivers the meaningful story, relateable characters, and complex mechanics fans expect from mainline games but switches the gameplay up to focus on action over time management.

Worth Playing - Chris "Atom" DeAngelus - 8.5 / 10

I expected Persona 5 Strikers to be like Hyrule Warriors and got a genuine Persona sequel. It might be thinner on content than the 100-hour behemoth it is based on, but it's still plenty of fun to play. The combat system takes some getting used to, but otherwise, it's like slipping on a comfy pair of well-worn slippers. I welcome the chance to revisit the world of Persona 5, and Strikers is a wonderful send-off to the Phantom Thieves.

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Weekly Money-Making Methods - Updated Weekly!

Any level of experience and money:

• Broke To Millionaire by L131 - Min. Level 1 /

I am a new player with low experience and money:

• Earn m and Level 40 For Brand New Players by u/Prizrak_Peruna - Min. Level 1 /
• Rags to Riches by K2Widowmaker - Min. Level 5 /
• Contact Missions FAQ by bleeps__ - Min. Level 5 /

I am a returning player with decent game experience and money:

• VIP Work by MaeBeWeird - Min. Level 1 /
• Host or participate in Heists - Min. Level 1 / to participate; Min. Level 12 / or own a high-end apartment to host

I'm a millionaire already, just give me a grind:

• CEO Import/Export Vehicle Work by Psychko - Currently most reliable and profitable money grind with high end only method - Min. Level 1 / if you already own a CEO office / if you do not own a CEO office
• Do an I/E sourcing mission, then do VIP work (Headhunter or Sightseer are a breeze with a Buzzard) in the cool down, then do an I/E delivery mission. Rinse and repeat!
• TIP: How to get high end vehicles only
• CEO Crate Work by Psychko - Min. Level 1 / if you already own a CEO office / if you do not own a CEO office
• Can be done hassle-free in a completely solo public lobby
• If you get a sell mission you don't like, just switch sessions to lose 3 crates and have a chance at a different sell mission type
• VIP "Wave" method for continuous money grinding by Psychko - Min. Level 1 / , requires Buzzard or Savage helicopter
• Money grind for advanced players using Coke, Meth, Counterfeit Cash, and Bunker businesses by u/Tonan

I'm a solo player, how can I maximize my profits?

• Solo CEO and MC Tips by RDS08

Leveling RP

• Be an Associate for a CEO - Min. Level 1 /
• Earn 2000-3000RP per source delivery, 5000RP per sale delivery. Buy 1 crate and sell immediately for maximum RP since the same RP is given whether you source/sell 1 crate or multiple.
• Earn 200-600RP bonuses when you stay near the CEO/VIP's location
• Participate in weekly 2X RP activities - Min. Level 1 /
• Leveling a second character from scratch by Sh-Apeshifter09 - Min. Level 1 / million

Further Money Making Info

• Money Wiki - a quick overview of the various ways to make money.
• Summary of major money making methods by Dreamex - includes Crates, Import/Export, MC businesses, hangars, bunkers
• Special Cargo Business Strategy by MrShyShyGuy
• Comprehensive Guide by TheNathanNS - details on every type of mission or work that earns money, and tips on maximizing your profits
• Money Making Notebook by SanshaXII
• Contact Missions Guide by GlassGoose45 - good for those who are just starting out or can't/don't want to do heists, CEO, or VIP
• CEO Work by MaeBeWeird - quick overview of offices, associates, and crate work
• CEO FAQ by bleeps__ - details on CEO crate work
• CEO Crate Profits Guide by _Caith_Amach - table of profit/crate ratios
• Import/Export Guide by ErregungHaus
• Import/Export Spreadsheet by Beltontx101 - keep track of vehicles you get in I/E missions
• Detailed I/E Guide for each type of sourcing mission by RDS08
• MC Biker Work and Business Guide by ErregungHaus
• MC Business Supply/Profit/Production Chart
• Diamond casino Heist Guide by /iiEco-Ryan3166

What's New? Recent Major Content Updates

• Rockstar Newswire

June 2017 - Gunrunning FAQ by L131
August 2017 - Intro to Smuggler's Run by Psychko

• Smuggler's Run FAQ by L131

December 2017 - Doomsday Heist FAQ
July 2018 - After Hours/Nightclubs FAQ | After Hours Guide by Dan6erbond
July 2019 - Diamond Casino FAQ

• Hidden Playing Cards Locations by u/dingogordy
• Gambling Guide by u/enderpiet
• Inside Track Odds Calculator by u/GarsantFAQs and Popular Topics
• Looking for friends or heist teammates? GTALFH | /HeistTeams | GTAOnline subreddit Discord

Vehicles and Properties

• All Vehicles Guide by Broughy1322
• GTA V Full Vehicles Database by TheSDHotel
• GTA V Full Properties Database by TheSDHotel
• Vehicle Trade Price Unlocks by howellq
• Combat Vehicle Guide by Dan6erbond

Tips and Tricks

• General Tips and Tricks by lBurnsyl and the users of /gtaonline
• General Tips and tricks x2 by what_it_dooo
• Heist Tips and Tricks
• Doomsday Heist Tips and Tricks

Just For Fun

• What to do when you're burned out on GTA Online by iosPixel
• Big list of fun things to do in the game by NextubeGameArena (original Reddit post deleted)
• Wheel of Fortune for stuff to do

Useful Tools

• A new and better: GTA Online Interactive Map, Timers, Import/Export Vehicle warehouse checklist, and guides by u/drafirus
• Business Supply/Stock Manager by u/elcihev_cnuf
• Merryweather All-Purpose Map by Oliqu - Pegasus spawn points, anti-griefer safe locations, weapon spawn points; More info here
• Interactive Property and Business Map by gtaboss_gg
• Event/mission/spawning timer by ErregungHaus
• All 200 Weapon Spawn Locations by smartergaming
• GTA Launcher Troubleshooting by PartyNachos
• Website to prepare your Casino Heist - calculator, training tool, guide... by u/Scorpyo5

If you know a post that should be included in this guide, message the moderators.

Last year, my business partner went out and purchased one of these: Samsung CRG9. Of course, he could not help but invite me over to see the thing. After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I left envious but happy to see he was happy with his new purchase.
​
Fast forward a few months and he calls me back over to his house. I was certain he got a new toy and just wanted to brag again. Low and behold, there sat a shipping crate with my name on it. He got me one. What a guy. Its a good thing I make him a lot of money, lol.
​
Anyway, my first thought was excitement. Then I realized that I did not have a computer that could properly drive the thing. Here is what I have replaced:

• CPU - Intel Core i7-6700k (Overclocked to 4.6ghz)
• CPU Cooler - Noctua NH-D15
• Motherboard - MSI Z170A Gaming M7
• RAM - 16gb PC-3200 DDR4
• GPU - Gigabyte GTX 1080 (non-ti)
• Case - Fractal Design Define R5
• PSU - Seasonic X-850
• Boot Drive - Intel 660p 500GB NVME M.2
• Data Drive - Samsung 850 Evo 1TB
• Data Drive - Sabrent Rocket 2TB NVME M.2 (added last year)
• Monitor - Acer Preditor XB1 (27" IPS 165hz)

​
By all accounts, this computer was near top of the line when I built it in 2016. It ran most things at 1440p at least at 60 fps (and almost anything not current gen AAA at >100 fps). But that was then. This was now. 5120x1440 is TWICE the pixels as my old - admittedly awesome - monitor. In order to take advantage of this very generous gift, I was going to have to upgrade. My wife also needed a new machine (at least new to her, she is the receiver of technological hand-me-downs after all). Given that, I decided to start over from scratch.
First and foremost, I had to face the fact that top end computer components are hard to come by right now. I had to camp websites, discord chats, youtube channels with running availability tickers, the works. I ended up getting everything except the video card at MSRP, and only paid a bit over retail on the card, but did purchase it at retail instead of from a scalper.
Here is what I went with:
[PCPartPicker Part List](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/j3dsW3)
Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 3.8 GHz 8-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/qtvqqs/amd-ryzen-7-5800x-38-ghz-8-core-processor-100-100000063wof) | $449.00 @ B&H
**CPU Cooler** | [Noctua NH-D15 CHROMAX.BLACK 82.52 CFM CPU Cooler](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/84MTwP/noctua-nh-d15-chromaxblack-8252-cfm-cpu-cooler-nh-d15-chromaxblack) | $99.95 @ Amazon
**Motherboard** | [Gigabyte X570 AORUS ULTRA ATX AM4 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/YTWBD3/gigabyte-x570-aorus-ultra-atx-am4-motherboard-x570-aorus-ultra) | $294.99 @ Amazon
**Memory** | [G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/zcH8TW/gskill-ripjaws-v-32-gb-2-x-16-gb-ddr4-3600-memory-f4-3600c16d-32gvkc) | $179.99 @ Amazon
**Memory** | [G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/zcH8TW/gskill-ripjaws-v-32-gb-2-x-16-gb-ddr4-3600-memory-f4-3600c16d-32gvkc) | $179.99 @ Amazon
**Storage** | [Sabrent Rocket 2 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/LxXnTW/sabrent-2-tb-m2-2280-solid-state-drive-sb-rocket-2tb) | $249.98 @ Amazon
**Video Card** | [Asus Radeon RX 6900 XT 16 GB TUF GAMING OC Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/LRNgXL/asus-radeon-rx-6900-xt-16-gb-tuf-gaming-oc-video-card-tuf-rx6900xt-o16g-gaming) | $1,379.99 B&H
**Case** | [Lian Li Lancool II Mesh ATX Mid Tower Case](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/d82bt6/lian-li-lancool-ii-mesh-atx-mid-tower-case-lancool-ii-mesh-rgb-black) | $109.99 @ Amazon
**Power Supply** | [SeaSonic FOCUS Plus Gold 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/jWFXsY/seasonic-focus-plus-gold-850w-80-gold-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-ssr-850fx) | $177.99 @ Amazon
**Operating System** | [Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM 64-bit](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/MfH48d/microsoft-os-fqc08930) | $149.99 @ Amazon| *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |
| **Total** | **$3,271.86**
| Generated by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com) 2021-02-02 08:16 EST-0500 |
​
I also had a couple of extra 120MM Noctua Case fans sitting around that I put in there to keep my temps under control. I also pilfered the 2TB Sabrent M.2 drive out of the old computer, so I have a pair of them in the new build giving me 4TB of storage.
​
A couple of points for purchasing devisions:

• CPU - originally I was hoping to get a 5900x or even a 5950x. No, not because I do a bunch of productivity that would demand it. Simply because I wanted it. Guess what, unless I wanted to support a scalper, that just was not going to happen. Benchmarks on the 5800x put its gaming performance on par with 5900x. It also has 8 cores, which should keep it relevant for this entire console cycle as developers write software to take full advantage of multi-core gaming. I originally bought the 5800x through Newegg but due to substantial issues with shipping and delivery I ended up re-ordering the processor through B&H. Newegg still hasn't sent me my purchase nor issued me a refund. B&H has been wonderful.
• GPU - Yes, I overpaid. But not by much. The retail on this card is $1,099. I got it for at 26% premium, which is almost directly in-line with the new tariffs. I am happy with it. And this thing is amazing. I chose AMD instead of going team-green this time purely because the only card that competes with the 6900XT is going for $2,400 even at retail now (RTX 3090). Frankly, I don't see much visual difference with ray-tracing (I am visually impaired) but I do see huge difference in proper freesync and smooth frame rates.
• RAM - 64gb is a lot. And no I do not need it. But now I can tell myself I could dual boot and run virtual machines and set up a RAM disk. I won't likely ever do those things, but I can tell myself I will. And that feels pretty good.

​
All in all, I am very happy with the build. I put it all together and it actually booted right up, which feels nice. My ISP is probably wondering why I have downloaded 2TB of data in the last 24 hours, but I have gigabit internet for a reason. Now it is off to play Cyberpunk 2077 at 5120x1440 and have it run smooth as butter.

Since more and more people are jumping on the ampere undervolting train, one of the things I think people should mention when they list their clock/mV combination are the RESOLUTION and what games they tested.
I've been seeing lots of folks "give up" on undervolting because their cards can't even get close to some of the numbers people are posting online, not realizing that different resolutions and games vary dramatically on the numbers people can achieve, and thus what people are posting online. Don't give up! Undervolting still has huge benefits, even if you lost the "silicon lottery".
On my 3080, I have to run 862mV at 1890mhz to get my modern ray-tracing games stable on 1440p max everything/dlss in cyberpunk/control and horizon zero dawn. But I can run 1935mhz in COD CW on 1440p. And on 1080p, I can boost to 1980 at 862mV in COD.
However, on metro/outer worlds which hit power limit at 1440p at only 881mV, I can only get to 1875mhz at 1440p before crapping out at 862mV.
So if I were to post my "Stable" number, I would say 1875/862 at 1440p with testing metro/outer worlds, NOT 1980/862 and just leave it at that. I've literally seen people give up when they see 1980/862 and their card can't get anywhere close to that. I'm trying to stop that from happening.
I spent alot of time arguing back and forth with someone on reddit calling BS for them running their card at 2070mhz at 950mV, only to realize that they were running at 1080p. *facepalm*. Just as a reference point, running 950mV didn't even hit power limit for their card in metro exodus with ray tracing maxed out, while on strixes at 1440p, the card pulls 480 WATTS at 925mV. It hits reference power limit at 850mV. That's how big of a difference resolution has.
https://www.reddit.com/nvidia/comments/l23fln/real_test_of_undervolt_stability_on_3080_isnt/gk34s35?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
4514919 lists below why 1080p isn't really the best bet for testing stability, but if that's what your rocking, definitely still fine tune to your hardware. But if your trying to undervolt for the first time and are thinking to yourself "Shit, why can't I get 2ghz at 900mV", please realize the type of game and resolution, are huge factors in what you can achieve with your undervolt which people seem to leave out (specifically the resolution part).
https://www.reddit.com/nvidia/comments/l06t9i/undervolt_gigabyte_rtx_3070_0938v_1995mhz_boost/gjtil90?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
" Ampere has doubled the number of units that do floating point calculation going from one per CUDA core to two.
They do not juice up more at 4K, it's that at lower resolutions there is not enough time to load them before the GPU has to work on the next frame so they are "unused".
An Ampere CUDA core can do an INT+FP32+FP32 operation at the same time and that's 100% utilization but at 1080p it's not doing that all the time but the core is still under load so the GPU utilization is still reported 99% yet 33% (it's not really 33%, there is other stuff in a core but you get the idea) of the core is not really under load.
Because of that you can hit higher clock speeds and lower power draw but if you are doing a custom voltage curve you are not really testing a 100% stability but only a stability in games at 1080p."
​
​
EDIT: Wow, well this blew up. Been getting 50+ dm's asking how to UV. There are plenty of guides out there, but you can check out mine here:
https://www.reddit.com/nvidia/comments/koub76/3_ways_to_undervolt_in_msi_afterburner_for_3080/
I recommend doing #3 which can be condensed by simply dragging the point up and moving all points to the right of the curve DOWN.
You can and WILL boost higher using less voltage with this approach. Been in direct contact with /NoctD in the comments who uses the #2 approach who has since switched over since he has to run 30mV more to hit the same core clock, using outer worlds to test.
​
​
EDIT #2:
My time spy results (I'm not a huge synthetic benchmark guy but it was requested):
https://www.reddit.com/nvidia/comments/l72upj/3080_ventus_undervolt_timespy_scores_undervolt/

Looking for friends to play with? Join the GTAOnline Discord server!
READ BEFORE YOU MAKE A POST ON /GTAONLINE**:**

• The Rules
• Weekly Simple Question thread
• The Wiki - contact CausticPenguino for suggestions
• Just got the game today? Quick start guide for complete newbies by SanshaXII
• What time do new updates usually come out? Thursdays, 10AM GMT. Click for timezones
• What's in the latest update? Weekly bonuses, events, and discounts
• Received modded money? Spend it, or wait for Rockstar to take it away. AT YOUR OWN RISK
• Received a random monetary gift from Rockstar? No one knows why, just enjoy it!
• Want to post YouTube content? Read this to see what's allowed on /GTAOnline

​
Screen Capturing

Platform	Method
PC	https://bit.ly/PcScreenshare
PS4	https://bit.ly/PS4ScreenCapture
XB1	https://bit.ly/XboxCapture

​
​
Solo Public Sessions

Platform	Method
Any	unplug router method
PC	port blocking method - task manager method
PS4	MTU method
XB1	MTU method - NAT method

Making Money

Weekly Money-Making Methods - Updated Weekly!

Any level of experience and money:

• Broke To Millionaire by L131 - Min. Level 1 /

I am a new player with low experience and money:

• Earn m and Level 40 For Brand New Players by u/Prizrak_Peruna - Min. Level 1 /
• Rags to Riches by K2Widowmaker - Min. Level 5 /
• Contact Missions FAQ by bleeps__ - Min. Level 5 /

I am a returning player with decent game experience and money:

• VIP Work by MaeBeWeird - Min. Level 1 /
• Host or participate in Heists - Min. Level 1 / to participate; Min. Level 12 / or own a high-end apartment to host

I'm a millionaire already, just give me a grind:

• CEO Import/Export Vehicle Work by Psychko - Currently most reliable and profitable money grind with high end only method - Min. Level 1 / if you already own a CEO office / if you do not own a CEO office
• Do an I/E sourcing mission, then do VIP work (Headhunter or Sightseer are a breeze with a Buzzard) in the cool down, then do an I/E delivery mission. Rinse and repeat!
• TIP: How to get high end vehicles only
• CEO Crate Work by Psychko - Min. Level 1 / if you already own a CEO office / if you do not own a CEO office
• Can be done hassle-free in a completely solo public lobby
• If you get a sell mission you don't like, just switch sessions to lose 3 crates and have a chance at a different sell mission type
• VIP "Wave" method for continuous money grinding by Psychko - Min. Level 1 / , requires Buzzard or Savage helicopter
• Money grind for advanced players using Coke, Meth, Counterfeit Cash, and Bunker businesses by u/Tonan

I'm a solo player, how can I maximize my profits?

• Solo CEO and MC Tips by RDS08

Leveling RP

• Be an Associate for a CEO - Min. Level 1 /
• Earn 2000-3000RP per source delivery, 5000RP per sale delivery. Buy 1 crate and sell immediately for maximum RP since the same RP is given whether you source/sell 1 crate or multiple.
• Earn 200-600RP bonuses when you stay near the CEO/VIP's location
• Participate in weekly 2X RP activities - Min. Level 1 /
• Leveling a second character from scratch by Sh-Apeshifter09 - Min. Level 1 / million

Further Money Making Info

• Money Wiki - a quick overview of the various ways to make money.
• Summary of major money making methods by Dreamex - includes Crates, Import/Export, MC businesses, hangars, bunkers
• Special Cargo Business Strategy by MrShyShyGuy
• Comprehensive Guide by TheNathanNS - details on every type of mission or work that earns money, and tips on maximizing your profits
• Money Making Notebook by SanshaXII
• Contact Missions Guide by GlassGoose45 - good for those who are just starting out or can't/don't want to do heists, CEO, or VIP
• CEO Work by MaeBeWeird - quick overview of offices, associates, and crate work
• CEO FAQ by bleeps__ - details on CEO crate work
• CEO Crate Profits Guide by _Caith_Amach - table of profit/crate ratios
• Import/Export Guide by ErregungHaus
• Import/Export Spreadsheet by Beltontx101 - keep track of vehicles you get in I/E missions
• Detailed I/E Guide for each type of sourcing mission by RDS08
• MC Biker Work and Business Guide by ErregungHaus
• MC Business Supply/Profit/Production Chart
• Diamond casino Heist Guide by /iiEco-Ryan3166

What's New? Recent Major Content Updates

• Rockstar Newswire

June 2017 - Gunrunning FAQ by L131
August 2017 - Intro to Smuggler's Run by Psychko

• Smuggler's Run FAQ by L131

December 2017 - Doomsday Heist FAQ
July 2018 - After Hours/Nightclubs FAQ | After Hours Guide by Dan6erbond
July 2019 - Diamond Casino FAQ

• Hidden Playing Cards Locations by u/dingogordy
• Gambling Guide by u/enderpiet
• Inside Track Odds Calculator by u/GarsantFAQs and Popular Topics
• Looking for friends or heist teammates? GTALFH | /HeistTeams | GTAOnline subreddit Discord

Vehicles and Properties

• All Vehicles Guide by Broughy1322
• GTA V Full Vehicles Database by TheSDHotel
• GTA V Full Properties Database by TheSDHotel
• Vehicle Trade Price Unlocks by howellq
• Combat Vehicle Guide by Dan6erbond

Tips and Tricks

• General Tips and Tricks by lBurnsyl and the users of /gtaonline
• General Tips and tricks x2 by what_it_dooo
• Heist Tips and Tricks
• Doomsday Heist Tips and Tricks

Just For Fun

• What to do when you're burned out on GTA Online by iosPixel
• Big list of fun things to do in the game by NextubeGameArena (original Reddit post deleted)
• Wheel of Fortune for stuff to do

Useful Tools

• A new and better: GTA Online Interactive Map, Timers, Import/Export Vehicle warehouse checklist, and guides by u/drafirus
• Business Supply/Stock Manager by u/elcihev_cnuf
• Merryweather All-Purpose Map by Oliqu - Pegasus spawn points, anti-griefer safe locations, weapon spawn points; More info here
• Interactive Property and Business Map by gtaboss_gg
• Event/mission/spawning timer by ErregungHaus
• All 200 Weapon Spawn Locations by smartergaming
• GTA Launcher Troubleshooting by PartyNachos
• Website to prepare your Casino Heist - calculator, training tool, guide... by u/Scorpyo5

If you know a post that should be included in this guide, message the moderators.

In Greek mythology, Achilles was the greatest warrior. He even acted like a superstar in his day, holding out on Agamemnon for a max contract.
Of course, Achilles had one fatal flaw. When his mother Thetis dipped him into the river Styx to give him invulnerability, she held him by the heel. Because of that, his heel was still susceptible to injury. That weak spot allowed him to get upset in the Trojan War by a lower-seed named Paris. And thus, we get the term "Achilles heel."
Every great player and every great team has an Achilles heel or two. So with that in mind, let's take a look at the top contenders (listed according to the best title odds on bovada) and determine their potential fatal flaws.
Los Angeles Lakers (+240)
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most complete teams we've seen in several years. Not only do they have elite top-end talent, but they'd bolstered the depth chart around them. At this time last year, we may have called their bench or depth their weakness; they responded to that by adding the winner of Sixth Man of the Year (Montrezl Harrell) and the player who finished second for Sixth Man (Dennis Schroder.) Their defense was already elite, and then they added former Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol to boot. As in life, the rich get richer.
So does this team have any weakness left? Perhaps. I'd suggest that perimeter shooting is still their biggest wild card. They've been shooting well this season, nailing 38% from beyond the arc as a team (good for 5th best.) At the same time, that's likely to regress. LeBron James is shooting a blistering 41.0% from three (career 34.6). Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is shooting 46.8% from three (career 35.3). Kyle Kuzma is shooting 39.3% from three (career 33.5). Having James and Anthony Davis does allow their supporting cast to get open looks, but we'd still expect these numbers to come down to some degree. If that does, then the fact that the team doesn't shoot many threes (28th most) may be more pronounced.
Overall, you can make the argument that the Lakers lack sharpshooters. Maybe they don't need Steph Curry or even Seth Curry, but they could still use a reliable shooting specialist off the bench to break out in case of emergency. J.J. Redick may be available via trade/buyout. Kyle Korver and Allen Crabbe are available on the waiver wire. These shooters may be negative defenders, but the Lakers are SO good defensively that they should be able to withstand a slight hit in that regard. What may be harder to overcome is a cold stretch from three in a key series.
Brooklyn Nets (+375)
The Brooklyn Nets are an incredible collection of superstar talent, with two of the greatest scorers we've ever seen in Kevin Durant and James Harden and one of the greatest enigmas we've ever experienced in Kyrie Irving. Coupled with Joe Harris, shooting/offense is clearly NOT the problem here.
It doesn't take a basketball expert or even a dumb redditor like me to realize the bigger concern is the defensive end. The Nets' defense is softer than Charmin. Right now, the team ranks 27th in defensive rating, and that number doesn't show many signs of slowing down. Capable defensive-minded forwards are needed here, desperately, especially when the team matches up with some elite SF-PF talent in the playoffs. This post details the situation and potential fixes with more detail, but some potential defenders available include Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Andre Roberson, Noah Vonleh, Dewayne Dedmon, or potential trade/buyout guys like Tony Snell and Trevor Ariza.
Los Angeles Clippers (+550)
The Los Angeles Clippers have one of the best rosters in the NBA. Of course, that was also true last season. Last year's team had an abundance of talent, which tends to happen when you add two stars to a team that had gone 48-34 the year before. They looked and acted the part of a title contender as well -- finishing in the top 5 in offense and defense and roaring to a 3-1 lead over Denver. Unfortunately for them, it's best of seven.
A lot of the problems that plagued last year's disappointment were related to chemistry issues on and off the court. Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell had developed a great rhythm as to-go scorers, and now they were forced to take a step back. Worse yet, their skill set wasn't suited to being 3+D sidekicks. Harrell may be gone, but the "fit" issues with Lou Williams remain. He's still a good scorer, but he's a liability if he doesn't have the ball in his hands. He's off to an even rockier start to this season, logging a - 3.0 box plus/minus so far. Now at age 34, there's a real concern that he's trending towards being a net negative player, especially in this current role. The team should float offers for him now before he lingers too long on the roster and starts to resent his place in the hierarchy.
Milwaukee Bucks (+700)
The Milwaukee Bucks followed up a disappointing postseason with a spectacular offseason. They not only re-signed superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they brought in some extra help for him with Jrue Holiday and Bogdan Bogdanovic and --
Wait, what was that? The Bogdanovic signing got blocked? Oh right.
It feels like ages ago, and some may think it was meaningless in hindsight. Bogdanovic hasn't lit the world on fire in Atlanta, and the Bucks will eventually get back to a 1 or 2 seed no matter what. Still, the limited depth at the wing will be an issue for Milwaukee at some point or another.
That issue is most likely to rear its head in the playoffs, because the Bucks tend to play a slightly different way in the postseason. Over the last few seasons, Giannis has played limited minutes as a smallball center in the regular season -- 7%, 27%, 23%, 4% this year (according to basketball-reference.) In the postseason, that tends to expand -- he was at 43% and 35% the last two years. And if you're ultimately playing Giannis "up" as a smallball 5 often, then that means you need to surround him with talented wing players. Pat Connaughton and Donte DiVincenzo have played well, but they're not proven yet. If the plan is to keep Giannis at the 4 more often (with Bobby Portis in tow), then that's a formula that hasn't been proven yet in the postseason yet either. The Bucks may have to figure out answers on the fly, which makes it crucial that Coach Mike Budenholzer is able to adjust accordingly.
Philadelphia 76ers (+1700)
Doc Rivers and his top-notch assistant coaches have done a great job unlocking the potential of the Philadelphia 76ers. They're unleashing Joel Embiid (29.3 PPG) like a kaiju, watching with glee as he smashes through the undersized world of the modern NBA.
That formula -- Embiid surrounded by improved shooting -- clearly works well. It may be enough to power through the playoffs and make the Finals. Still, I wonder if the Sixers need to develop a counter-punch. They don't have a proven Plan B. Right now, their backups at center are traditional big man Dwight Howard and young Tony Bradley, who's decent but not a spacer himself. They haven't been playing much "smallball" right now, with Tobias Harris and Mike Scott both logging only about 4-5% of their minutes at center.
We've seen in the playoffs that "one trick ponies" -- like arguably Giannis on Milwaukee and James Harden on Houston -- can be gameplanned against in the postseason. It's helpful if you have a few more tricks in your bag a la Felix the Cat. Going forward, it may be worth experimenting more with smallball lineups, either for the postseason or in the event of an Embiid injury.
Boston Celtics (+1800)
Coach Brad Stevens is a fan favorite and a media darling. And no doubt about it, he's a legitimately great coach. That said, there may be a false impression about him. Whenever you have a young coach, there's a natural inclination to presume he's some type of offensive mastermind. In reality, he tends to be more defensive minded and disciplined and doesn't run as much of a run-and-gun offense as some of his peers. In the Brad Stevens era, the Celtics' offense has ranked: 18th, 10th, 8th, 18th, 10th, 4th, 9th (for an average of about 11th.) They haven't finished in the top 10 in terms of pace since 2015-16. This isn't anything new for Stevens, whose success at Butler University also came about from good defensive teams. Oftentimes, his offense can stagnate and fall into iso-ball.
Given that, it's going to be a challenge for the Celtics' offense to hum back into the top 5 range that they'd need to win a title. Great players can manufacture offense on their own, but there's been a talent drain over the last few years here in Boston. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are great, but they can't do it alone. The Celtics lack a third star. Ideally, someone who can get his own shot, but also run a good functional halfcourt offense.
Of course, that was supposed to be Kemba Walker. He's the type of guard who can get his own shot a la Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas before him. But with the Celtics, Walker has never looked 100%. He hasn't been distributing like a top end PG. He's the third banana that's not quite ripe yet. From the Celtics' POV, they have to ask: is this issue going to get better? Or worse? If Walker rounds into form, great. But if he continues to decline into his 30s, then they may need to proactively find someone to replace him. Bradley Beal will be on the market soon, C.J. McCollum may be "gettable." The Celtics have enough big contracts and enough prospects to be in the mix for some of these trade targets; Danny Ainge needs to determine whether he needs to cash in some chips sooner than later.
Utah Jazz (+1800)
The Utah Jazz had a bumpy ride last year, from Mike Conley's slump, to Bojan Bogdanovic's injury, to all the drama about Rudy Gobert and COVID. This year, it's been a completely different story; the team's been red hot all season long. Consider this: Donovan Mitchell, Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles, and Royce O'Neal are ALL hitting over 40% from three, and Jordan Clarkson isn't far behind them at 39.2%. If their shots keep falling like this, then perhaps they can sustain their top 5 offense and their overall top seed.
Still, the Utah Jazz can call upon their Mormon/christian roots and emphasize charity. That is, the charity stripe. The Jazz don't get to the line often enough. For a high volume scorer, Donovan Mitchell doesn't draw a huge amount of contact (getting 4.4 FTA per game.) For his part, Jordan Clarkson is borderline allergic to the line (1.6 FTA per game despite hitting 97% of them.) The fact that the Jazz don't generate "easy" points at the free throw line makes them more reliant on shot-making. They've been able to do that this season. So far, so good.
Of course, "good" is not the goal -- we're going for "great" here. For Donovan Mitchell to truly take an MVP leap, he needs to be getting to the line at least 7-8 times a game. It won't necessarily be easy, either. He's not a big wing, so it's harder for him to bully his way through traffic and absorb contact. He also has a true center in Rudy Gobert who can clog the paint at times. That said, it'd still be helpful if Quin Snyder and company can encourage him and Clarkson to get to the line a little more often.
Denver Nuggets (+2200)
Although the Denver Nuggets are only 12-10, Nikola Jokic is getting his due as a legitimate MVP candidate right now. As long as the team has a superstar like the Joker and a fire breather like Jamal Murray, they have a puncher's chance of winning a round or two in the playoffs.
That said, the supporting cast still leaves something to be desired. In particular, Gary Harris may not be good enough. He had a great reputation early on as a 3+D guy, but he hasn't backed that up over the last few years. He's shooting 33.3% from three right now, which marks the third season in a row that he's been below 34%. He's not a good rebounder, he's not a great playmaker, and he may be overrated as a defender.
Coach Mike Malone continues to have faith in Harris, trotting him out for 30+ minutes a night. And to his credit, he's playing a little better than he did last year. Still, when push comes to shove in the postseason, this team needs its supporting cast to excel in order to beat teams like the Lakers and Clippers. The Nuggets probably could have put a package together to get Victor Oladipo, and they may be able to get Bradley Beal. It's about time the team started to think about those big swings.