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GTA VI is still four months away. Rockstar knows you need something to do in the meantime. So on July 14, 2026, GTA Online dropped the Kortz Center Heist, an art museum robbery arriving as Title Update 1.73. It is almost certainly the last major heist before the sequel arrives.
The setup: steal high-value paintings from the Kortz Center museum in Pacific Bluffs. However, what makes this heist different from every GTA Online heist before it is the stealth system. Walk in guns-blazing and the paintings lose value. Get in quiet and the payout stays high. For the first time in GTA Online, the game actively rewards you for not shooting anyone.
This guide covers everything confirmed about the heist as of launch day: what you need before starting, how each approach works, what the paintings are worth, which new vehicles matter, and the mistakes that cost you money. For the official announcement, see Rockstar’s Newswire.
Note: This heist launched July 14, 2026. The community is still discovering optimal routes and exact payout numbers. This guide uses confirmed data from Rockstar briefings and launch-day player reports. We will update it as more data comes in.
Quick Summary: Kortz Center Heist at a Glance
| Detail | Answer |
|---|---|
| Release Date | July 14, 2026 (Title Update 1.73) |
| Location | Kortz Center, Pacific Bluffs |
| Contacts | Mr. Faber (art collector), Raf De Angelis (fixer), Yong Rae (counterfeiter) |
| Players | 1 to 4 (solo fully supported) |
| Requirement to Host | Mansion + Art Studio expansion |
| Approaches | Stealth, Disguise, Aggressive |
| Payout | Varies by painting value, approach, and completion quality. Early estimates: GTA$2M – GTA$4M+ per run |
| Elite Challenges | 10% – 15% bonus payout |
| Replayability | 3 new paintings rotate in every week |
Requirements: What You Need Before Starting the Kortz Center Heist
The Kortz Center Heist is not free to start. In fact, you need two things, and neither is cheap.
Mansion (Required)
You must own a Mansion to host. Apartments, stilt houses, and CEO offices do not count. Three mansions are available via the Prix Luxury Real Estate website on your in-game phone:
| Mansion | Base Price | Fully Upgraded |
|---|---|---|
| Tongva Estate (cheapest) | GTA$11,500,000 | ~GTA$17,400,000 |
| The Vinewood Residence | GTA$12,200,000 | ~GTA$18,100,000 |
| Richman Villa | GTA$12,800,000 | ~GTA$18,700,000 |
GTA+ members get a GTA$2,000,000 discount on any mansion purchase.
Art Studio Expansion (Required)
Once you own a mansion, you need the Art Studio upgrade. This is the heist planning room. Without it, you cannot start the heist. It also doubles as a trophy room where you can display stolen paintings.
| Scenario | Price |
|---|---|
| Full price | GTA$4,700,000 |
| Fine Art Collector Elitist discount | GTA$3,700,000 |
Total Entry Cost
| Starting Point | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Cheapest mansion + Art Studio (no discounts) | ~GTA$16,200,000 |
| With GTA+ mansion discount + Elitist Art Studio discount | ~GTA$12,200,000 |
| Already own a mansion + Elitist discount | ~GTA$3,700,000 |
| Join as crew member | GTA$0 |
Bottom line: hosting from scratch costs roughly GTA$16.2M at minimum. If you do not have that kind of cash, run Cayo Perico a few more times, or join another player’s heist as crew. You do not need to own anything to join.
Pre-Launch Bonuses: Fine Art Collector Program (Expired)
Rockstar ran a Fine Art Collector Program from June 18 to July 13, 2026. If you participated, here is what you unlocked. If you missed it, here is what you left on the table.
| Tier | Requirement | Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Enthusiast | Log in once during the event | GTA$500,000 + Free Benefactor Turreted Limo |
| Patron | Complete any Heist final during the event | GTA$1,000,000 + NOOSE Outfit |
| Elitist | Own a Mansion + log in during the event | GTA$1,000,000 off Art Studio + Free Annihilator Stealth Helicopter + Exclusive Sculpture + Exclusive Painting |
All three tiers expired July 13. Even so, if you missed everything, the heist itself is still fully playable. After all, the pre-launch bonuses were exactly that: bonuses.
Ongoing bonus: Shark Cards (Great White, Whale, Megalodon) have a 40% GTA$ bonus through August 5, 2026. Must be claimed by July 22 via the in-game store.
Setup Phase: Recon, Forge, Choose Your Approach
Once you own a mansion with the Art Studio, enter the Art Studio room. A cutscene introduces Mr. Faber (a private art collector with questionable ethics) and Raf De Angelis (his fixer who handles logistics). After the cutscene, Yong Rae, your counterfeiter, takes over the studio to craft forged paintings. The planning board becomes active.
Step 1: Reconnaissance (Scope Out)
Drive to the Kortz Center in Pacific Bluffs. Walk in as a visitor. No weapons. No mask.
Your job during recon:
- Photograph each painting. Three paintings hang in the main gallery. Snap a photo of each one with your in-game phone. The better your recon photos, the more detail your planning board shows.
- Mark entry and exit points. The museum has multiple access points: main entrance, loading dock, roof, and underground routes. Scout them all.
- Map security cameras and guard patrols. Watch the guards complete their full patrol loops. Mark camera positions. This data populates your planning board and makes the finale significantly easier.
Skip recon and the heist becomes much harder. The minimap will not show patrol routes and you cannot identify which painting is this week’s high-value target.
Step 2: Counterfeiting
Yong Rae creates forged replicas of the target paintings in your Art Studio. Higher-quality forgeries take longer and cost more, but they buy you crucial time during the heist before guards or staff notice the swap.
Step 3: Setup Missions
The game presents required and optional setup missions. These include acquiring getaway vehicles, disguises, hacking tools, and weapons. The specific missions depend on your chosen approach. Complete the optional missions. Better equipment means fewer things that can go wrong during the finale.
Step 4: Choose Your Approach
Three approaches. Each changes the setup missions, the equipment, and the finale.
The Three Approaches
Your approach determines the maximum payout. Specifically, Stealth preserves the most painting value while Aggressive preserves the least. Here is what we know about each approach from launch-day data.
| Approach | Painting Value Preserved | Difficulty | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stealth | Highest | Hard | Maximum profit, experienced players |
| Disguise | Medium | Medium | Reliable payout, balanced risk |
| Aggressive | Lowest | Easy | Speed, beginners |
Stealth Approach (Highest Payout)
Enter the museum after hours, then avoid all guards and cameras. Swap the real paintings for Yong Rae’s forgeries. Finally, leave without anyone knowing you were there.
How it works: Infiltrate through a quiet entry point (the loading dock and underground routes have fewer guards). Use hacked camera loops to freeze security cameras one at a time. Guards follow fixed patrol routes. Learn them during recon. Swap each real painting for its forgery at each location. Carry the real paintings out and deliver them to Mr. Faber’s contact.
The key rule: Alarms directly reduce payout. Each triggered alarm, detected body, or guard confrontation docks your final take. The game tracks whether you complete the heist without detection. This is tied to Elite Challenge bonuses.
Stealth tips:
- Use first-person view indoors for tighter movement
- Time your movements between camera sweeps
- Crouch-walk to reduce detection radius
- If a guard begins to notice you, break line of sight immediately: a brief flash on the detection meter is not the same as a full alert
Disguise Approach (Balanced)
Walk in through the front door. Wearing stolen museum staff uniforms. Carrying forged work orders. You look like you belong there.
How it works: Enter during operating hours through the main entrance. Staff uniforms and work orders grant you access to gallery floors and back corridors. Guards and staff treat you as neutral, as long as you do not sprint, draw a weapon, or enter clearly restricted areas. Walk to each painting, swap it for the forgery, place the real one in a transport crate, and exit through the loading dock.
The disguise approach is more forgiving than stealth. For instance, one mistake usually does not ruin your entire payout. However, the maximum possible take is lower because museum staff are close enough to potentially notice imperfections in the forgeries.
Aggressive Approach (Fast and Guaranteed)
Walk in loud, grab the paintings, and fight your way out.
How it works: Enter through any door. Weapons out. Secure the three paintings under fire. Escape before NOOSE teams overwhelm you. The paintings take significant value loss from gunfire, smoke, and rough handling, but you complete the heist fast and the payout is guaranteed.
As a result, solo aggressive is the quickest completion but the least efficient GTA$ per hour.
Aggressive tips:
- One player handles painting removal while teammates provide cover fire
- Place proximity mines at key entry points before starting
- Take out NOOSE helicopters immediately. They spawn from fixed directions
Kortz Center Heist Payout and Weekly Rotation
How Payout Works
The Kortz Center Heist payout depends on:
| Factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Painting base value | Each week’s paintings have different values. One is always the high-value target |
| Approach chosen | Stealth preserves the most value, Aggressive the least |
| Alarms/detection | Any alarm or witness event reduces the final payout |
| Elite Challenges | Completing bonus objectives adds 10% – 15% |
Early payout estimates (launch day; will be refined as players optimize routes):
| Scenario | Estimated Payout |
|---|---|
| Optimal stealth, all bonuses | GTA$2M – GTA$4M+ |
| Solid disguise run | 待验证 |
| Fast aggressive run | 待验证 |
For comparison, Cayo Perico solo pays roughly GTA$1.2M – GTA$1.8M per run. Meanwhile, Diamond Casino Heist tops out around GTA$3.6M with the right target. The Kortz Center Heist sits in the same tier, although exact per-hour comparisons will emerge as players optimize routes over the coming weeks.
Weekly Painting Rotation
Three new paintings rotate into the Kortz Center every Thursday at the standard GTA Online weekly reset time (2:00 AM PT / 5:00 AM ET / 10:00 AM BST). Each week brings different painting types with different values. This is the replayability mechanic. The heist changes every week.
Keep or Sell?
After a successful heist, you make a choice:
- Sell to Mr. Faber: Get paid in GTA$ immediately. Best price if sold during the same week the painting was stolen.
- Keep and display: Hang the painting in your mansion’s Art Studio. Any player who visits your mansion can see it. Some paintings in the weekly rotation are rare variants. They sell for the same price but are a flex to display.
New Vehicles
Grotti Veleno GT (Supercar)
The headliner vehicle of Title Update 1.73. Based on the Ferrari SF90 Stradale. Free for GTA+ members from July 14 via the Vinewood Car Club. Available for all players to purchase from July 21 (GTA+ gets a full week of early access).
HSW-Compatible Vehicles
Select new vehicles support Hao’s Special Works upgrades (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S only). HSW upgrades add roughly 15% to top speed and acceleration. Check the HSW compatibility board at the LS Car Meet before buying.
Free Vehicles from Fine Art Collector (Now Unavailable)
- Benefactor Turreted Limo: Free for Enthusiast tier participants. If you did not claim it before July 13, it is gone.
- Annihilator Stealth Helicopter: Free for Elitist tier participants. Decent stealth helicopter, but the Akula does the same job better.
If you missed these, do not worry about it. Neither is essential.
Tips and Tricks
1. Do Not Skip Recon
The recon mission is the most tempting thing to rush through. Do not. Instead, photograph every painting from multiple angles. Mark every entry point. Watch guard patrols for a full cycle. Ultimately, the planning board detail directly affects how smoothly the finale runs.
2. Complete Optional Setup Missions
Yes, they take extra time. No, they are not a waste. Upgraded hacking tools open more camera loop options. Stronger disguises hold up longer under scrutiny. A faster getaway vehicle means a cleaner escape. In short, every optional setup reduces the chance of something going wrong during the finale.
3. Use Quiet Entry Points for Stealth
The main entrance is the hardest entry for stealth. Overlapping guard sightlines and multiple cameras. On the other hand, underground and rear access points have lighter coverage. Therefore, scout all entry points during recon and pick the one with the least resistance.
4. Solo Is Viable, but Bring Patience
All three approaches are soloable. In fact, this is the first heist since Cayo Perico to fully support solo play from launch. However, stealth solo demands zero mistakes. There is no teammate to recover if you trigger an alarm mid-run. If you tilt easily, bring a second player.
5. Check the Weekly Paintings Before Locking In
Run recon first, identify this week’s paintings, then decide your approach. Some painting types may favor certain approaches over others. The community will have weekly threads on which approach is optimal for each rotation.
FAQ
Do I need the Art Studio to host the heist?
Yes. The Art Studio is the heist planning room. Without it, you cannot start the heist as host. You can join as crew without owning anything.
Can I play the Kortz Center Heist solo?
Yes. 1 to 4 players supported. Stealth solo is the most profitable per run, Aggressive solo is the fastest.
Is the Kortz Center Heist better money than Cayo Perico?
Too early to say definitively (待验证). Early estimates put them in the same per-hour range. Cayo Perico runs are faster per completion, roughly 45-60 minutes for an optimized solo run. In contrast, the Kortz Center Heist takes longer but has more variety week to week. Exact per-hour comparisons will be available as the community publishes optimized route data.
What happens if I get caught during stealth?
If a guard fully detects you or an alarm triggers, the heist shifts to an aggressive-style scenario. As a result, you lose the stealth bonus on the current and remaining paintings. You can still complete the heist and get paid, just for less.
When is the weekly painting rotation?
Every Thursday at the standard GTA Online weekly reset: 2:00 AM PT / 5:00 AM ET / 10:00 AM BST.
Is GTA+ worth it for this heist?
GTA+ ($7.99/month) gives you: GTA$2M off any mansion, free Grotti Veleno GT with one week early access, and a 10% payout bonus on your first heist completion each week. The math depends on how often you play. If you were already planning to buy a mansion and run the heist weekly, the mansion discount alone pays for several months of GTA+. For more, read our GTA+ breakdown.
Does this heist connect to GTA VI?
No confirmed connection. However, Mr. Faber’s dialogue reportedly references art collectors in Vice City. Easter egg or foreshadowing? We will not know until November 19. As we cover in our GTA VI characters guide, Rockstar loves dropping hints that only make sense in hindsight.
Conclusion: The Last Heist Before GTA VI
The Kortz Center Heist is not Cayo Perico 2.0. It is slower. More importantly, it rewards patience over speed. The stealth system punishes the run-and-gun habits baked into every GTA Online player over the last 11 years. And honestly, that is what makes it worth playing.
A heist where the quietest player earns the most. One where you hang the evidence on your wall. And a heist that changes every week so the recon mission never stops mattering.
If you have been grinding Cayo Perico the same way since 2022, the Kortz Center Heist asks you to learn a new skill. Start with stealth. You will mess up the first run. Everyone does. By the third run, you will walk through that museum like you own the place.
While you wait for GTA VI on November 19, there are worse ways to spend your Thursday nights. If you have not pre-ordered yet, check our GTA VI pre-order guide to lock in the best deal. If you already did, read our pre-launch checklist so you are ready when the countdown hits zero.