Can you start gta online without playing the story?

Grand Theft Auto Online operates as a separate multiplayer experience within the broader GTA V game. While it shares the same fictional world of San Andreas and Los Santos, it does not require players to complete any portion of GTA V's single-player story mode. Once GTA V is installed on a supported platform, users can access GTA Online immediately through the game's main menu, regardless of their progress in the campaign. The online mode features its own set of missions, game modes, and progression systems, functioning independently of the single-player narrative. Rockstar designed GTA Online to be a distinct experience, allowing players to engage with its cooperative and competitive content without any prerequisite story completion.