The Kortz Center Heist is the first truly large-scale heist in the classic format since Cayo Perico. The update was released on July 14, 2026, on all platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. Rockstar calls it a “blockbuster” and places it on par with the Diamond Casino Heist. GTA 5 owners get the update for free.
The whole idea is that you break into the Kortz Museum in Pacific Bluffs, replace the real paintings with fakes, and escape before anyone notices. In reality, there’s a vast set-up, laser traps, fingerprint scanners, and plenty of ways to screw it up. Below is a step-by-step breakdown: from purchasing the mansion to the final run for maximum profit.
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How to Start the Kortz Center Heist in GTA Online: A Complete Setup Guide
The first question any player has after the announcement is: “How much does it cost and where do I start?” The answer is: expensive, and starting with the mansion.
What you need to buy to launch a heist
To lead a heist as the organizer, you’ll need two capital investments:
Total minimum entry fee: $16,200,000. A fully upgraded mansion with additional rooms costs $17.4–18.7 million.
If you don’t want to spend your hard-earned cash, you can always join someone else’s crew as a crew member: a mansion and studio are not required.
GTA+ exceeds subscriber expectations: they receive a $2,000,000 discount on any mansion. Plus a separate $1 million bonus for the Art Studio for Level 3 “Art Collector.”
The Art Studio is the heart of the operation
After purchasing, the studio will appear on Basement Level 2 of your mansion, marked with the letter H. Enter, and a cutscene will trigger featuring Mr. Faber and his fixer, Raf De Angelis. They brief you on the mission: you need to steal the Albert Crisp Collection—a collection of paintings and antiques on display in the Kortz Center.
The forger Yong-Rae will take up residence in the studio—he creates fakes that you use to replace the originals during the heist. As you complete the preparations, equipment will visually accumulate in the studio.
Reconnaissance is the first step
Before starting the preparations, you need to go to the Kortz Center for reconnaissance. Objective: Infiltrate the utility room to the right of the exhibition hall entrance, avoiding the cameras (watch the cones on the minimap), eliminate the guard, and upload the AI to the computer. This will unlock access to the security cameras, clearly showing where the main target is hanging and which secondary paintings can be snatched.
Along the way, explore the building, looking for additional entry points, such as a sewer hatch. The main entrance is the utility room, at the back of the exhibition pavilion.
Mandatory Preparations: What to Do and in What Order
After reconnaissance, return to the mansion, go to the planning board, and begin preparations. There are five mandatory missions. Here’s the optimal order and our recommendations.
1. Alpha Mail Disguise (Infiltration Gear)
Enter the warehouse, turn right, and eliminate the first guard. Go to the locker room on the right, and pick up the Alpha Mail suit. Remove your weapon—the disguise will keep you hidden from the guards. Go to the office on the left, and pick up your identification. Take the Alpha Mail van with you, drive it to any Los Santos Customs shop, change the license plates, and then return it to the mansion.
Why this is important: The Alpha Mail disguise allows you to enter the loading area without being questioned by security—the most direct route to the storage facility is through the back door.
2. Street Armory (Unmarked Weapons)
Enter the warehouse, eliminate all gang members inside. Find a keypad by the stairs – a hacking minigame awaits: create a word from the given letters (ours was “RAPID”). Take the weapons from the room, hack the security cameras, and return to the mansion.
The kit includes a pistol with a silencer – not a luxury at all, but the only thing you’ll need in the finale for taking out the guards.
3. Annihilator Stealth (Getaway Vehicle)
This mission is a serious challenge alone. Prepare meticulously: armor, snacks, explosives. Drive to Fort Zancudo and find the warehouse marked A and B. Use RPGs or homing rocket launchers to knock off the locks on the gates. Inside is a military truck with a flatbed, which you use to steal the Annihilator Stealth helicopter. Escape from the police and deliver the helicopter to Sandy Shores Airfield. In the final stage, press the “Right” button on the D-pad to activate stealth mode, which removes the helicopter from enemy radar. Fighters won’t find you unless you keep your cool and take quick evasive action.
Why this: The Annihilator Stealth lands directly on the landing pad above Kortz Center. It allows you to quickly escape, avoiding police roadblocks.
4. Code Breaker (Equipment)
Proceed to the container and retrieve the drone. Climb onto the nearest roof and deploy the drone. Fly to the roof of the security firm and enter through the ventilation. Inside, scan the terminals (R1). If anyone interferes, shock them (L1) and knock them out. Once you’ve found the right terminal, stay nearby to download the code. If they spot you, you’ll have to start over. After the download, blow up the server rack and leave.
The Hacker is a must-have. Without it, you can’t open the vaults.
5. Hacker (additional equipment—required, actually)
Find and eliminate the corrupt agent, search the body, and collect the IAA security pass. Raf points out the next target. There are two ways inside the building: blow up the electrical panel or hack the computer. We recommend hacking—you just wait for the process to complete, while destroying the panel turns off the lights and makes navigation more difficult.
In the main room, collect the Hacker (it’s behind the green array device). Exit through the other side, get in the van, and return to the mansion.
Which mansion to buy for the Kortz heist and how to recoup the investment
Three mansions to choose from—and this choice determines how much time you’ll spend on travel and how quickly you’ll recoup your investment.
Comparison of three mansions: price, location, ROI
Verdict: If you plan to grind the heist seriously, the extra cost of the Richman Villa will be worth the time saved on travel. For one-off runs, you can choose the Tongva Estate and put up with the long commute.
Secrets and Easter Eggs of the Kortz Center Heist
The heist unfolds with detailed investigation. Here’s what you need to know.
How to Hack the Fingerprint Scanner
In the finale, after disabling the cameras in the server room, you’ll need to hack the fingerprint scanner (like in the casino heist). A series of fingerprint fragments appears on the screen—you need to choose four correct ones out of eight. Time is running out. Cheat sheet: don’t memorize the entire fingerprint, but rather the unique swirls—they’ll repeat. An error triggers the alarm.
Disabling CCTV and the Laser Grid
In the server room, kill the guard, interact with the monitors, and select “Temporarily disable CCTV.” Raf then sends you a 6-digit code—enter it into the computer.
Next are the laser traps:
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First group: crouch to the left, wait for the lasers to shift, and disable the panel on the wall.
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Second: on the right is a crawling laser. When it disappears, run to the panel and turn it off.
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Third: vertical lasers moving forward. Crouch in place, let them pass, then walk under them.
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Final: wait for the lasers to break at the exit, and then turn off the last panel on the left.
Don’t touch the lasers—an alarm will immediately sound.
Easter Eggs and Achievements
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Fine Art Collector: if you keep the stolen paintings and display them in the mansion instead of selling them. The reward is a unique interior and an achievement.
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NOOSE Outfit: obtained by completing the heist in stealth mode without triggering a single alarm and with a shooting accuracy score of over 90%.
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Elite Challenge: running in 17 minutes, with 90% accuracy, without losing the loot’s value, and with the buyer’s request, grants a $50,000 bonus.
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Hard Mode — if you re-start the heist within 15 minutes of Raph’s call, the difficulty increases, but the payout is increased by 10%.
Is it worth playing the Kortz heist solo? Solo vs. Squad Comparison
Yes, you can. But be prepared for the pace to slow down and the loot to decrease.
How much can you earn solo and in a team?
First playthrough of the week (weekly bonus resets every Thursday):
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Primary Target — ~$1,925,000
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Secondary Targets — up to $2,650,000
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A solo player actually takes home ~$2,200,000 because each stolen painting takes up about 50% of the loot bag space
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A team of 2-4 players can take home up to $7,143,000 if they claim all primary and secondary targets
Repeat plays in the same week:
Heist Cooldown: Solo vs. Crew:
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Solo: 2 hours 24 minutes (3 in-game days)
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Crew (2-4 players): 48 minutes (1 in-game day)
Is it worth it?
For a solo player, yes, but with caveats. The first run yields a solid $2.2 million, which partially covers the costs of the mansion and studio. But recouping the full $16.2 million in one go won’t be possible – it will take 7-8 initial runs (or about 8 weeks if you play strictly once a week).
Grinding repeated runs solo is a dubious pleasure: $300,000 for 2.5 hours of preparation and finale is a pittance by GTA Online standards. Crews are more profitable in this regard: the cooldown is three times shorter, and you can take out more loot.
Our verdict:
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Solo – for a first playthrough, independent exploration of the mechanics, and pure pleasure from stealth infiltration.
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Team – for farming and maximum revenue.
