The Epsilon Program is one of the strangest, most elaborate side quests in Grand Theft Auto V.

If you’ve ever wondered what Rockstar thinks about religious cults, fake science, and blind loyalty, this mission chain lays it out loudly and without subtlety.

TL;DR

GTA 5 Epsilon Program — how to start, what you do, what it costs, and the best ending

The Epsilon Program is Michael’s cult side quest: long, bizarre, expensive up front — and potentially one of the most profitable (and funniest) mission chains if you betray them at the end.

What the Epsilon Program is

  • A parody cult (fake science + “enlightenment”) led by Cris Formage.
  • Full-on satire: “Kifflom,” blue robes, alien nonsense, and constant pressure to donate money.
  • It’s intentionally absurd and one of GTA V’s sharpest “cult” jokes.

How to start the questline

  • Must be playing as Michael.
  • After some story progress, visit epsilonprogram.com on Michael’s phone/computer.
  • Take “Evaluate Your Identity” (answers don’t matter) → a question mark appears near Rockford Hills to begin.

What you’ll do (mission highlights)

  • Pay-in early: donate $500, then $5,000, then later $10,000 (split payments).
  • Vehicle fetch: deliver 5 cars (some buyable, some street spawns).
  • Artifact hunting: drive around using a “device” for alien trinkets.
  • Robes grind: buy Epsilon Robes ($25,000), then sleep a lot while wearing them to advance.
  • Desert run: run 5 miles in Epsilon gear (no vehicles, stay in zone, don’t die).
  • Final delivery: transport a large “donation” to Cris → triggers the big choice.

Obey or steal? (best outcome)

  • Obey (donate) → you get a beat-up tractor with a vanity plate. Mostly a joke reward.
  • Betray (take the money) → you keep ~$2 million and get angry calls from Cris.
  • Most players pick betrayal because it’s a huge payout and fits the satire.

After the main missions: Epsilon Tracts

  • Post-quest scavenger hunt: find 10 Epsilon Tracts in a specific order.
  • You’ll get riddles via text; expect lots of travel (taxi fast travel helps).
  • Collecting all 10 unlocks the full tract reading on the cult website.

Rare vehicles & “Epsilon Blue” collectibles

  • During missions you can grab rare vehicles in Epsilon Blue paint and store them.
  • Common targets include cars like Tailgater, Landstalker, Sentinel XS, F620, Velum, and more.
  • Tip: if one spawns, steal + save + reload to help respawns / collection.

Total cost (minimum)

  • $500 + $5,000 + $10,000 + $25,000 robes = $40,500 base cost.
  • Extra cost depends on whether you buy the required vehicles or find them.

Important tips: Do it for the satire, rare collectibles, and completion value — and betray them at the end if you want one of Story Mode’s best cash payoffs.

It’s weird, it’s long, and it costs a ton of in-game cash. But if you’re playing as Michael and want to see everything GTA V has to offer, the Epsilon path is worth checking out.

What Is the Epsilon Program?

In the GTA universe, the Epsilon Program is a cult disguised as a mix of science, philosophy, and spiritual awakening. Led by the smug and robotic Cris Formage, it claims to offer truth, enlightenment, and access to “the 10th Paradigm”, whatever that means. You’ll hear terms like “Kifflom” and “Unsaveables” thrown around. You’ll see people walking around in baby-blue robes. And you’ll be asked to hand over large sums of money, all in the name of “enlightenment.”

It’s hard not to admit that Epsilon’s beliefs are completely insane. They think:

  • The world is 157 years old.
  • Dinosaurs never existed.
  • Sperm isn’t real.
  • Aliens are already here.
  • Redheads are beyond saving.

It’s a full-on parody of cults like Scientology and Raëlism, mixed with satire of conspiracy theories and pseudo-scientific nonsense. Rockstar doesn’t hold back.

How to Start the Epsilon Questline

To kick off the Epsilon storyline, you need to be playing as Michael. After progressing a bit into the main game, you’ll hear a Weazel News report that the Epsilon Program has lost its tax-exempt status. That’s your trigger.

Next, go to epsilonprogram.com via Michael’s in-game phone or computer. Click “Evaluate Your Identity” to take a fake survey. No matter what answers you choose, the result will always lead you to the same outcome and a question mark icon appears on your map near Rockford Hills.

That marker kicks off the first mission. From there, the cult slowly pulls Michael deeper into their nonsense.

The Missions (And the Costs)

There are eight main Epsilon missions, and they ramp up in absurdity and expense. Here’s what to expect:

1. Seeking the Truth

  • Intro cutscene.
  • Donate $500.

2. Accepting the Truth

  • Email request.
  • Donate $5,000.

3. Assuming the Truth

  • Collect and deliver five rare vehicles: Pegassi Vacca, Benefactor Surano, Declass
  • Tornado, Enus Super Diamond, and Dinka Double T.
  • Three can be bought (expensive), two found on the streets.
  • Condition doesn’t matter. Pro tip: find, store, save, reload.

4. Chasing the Truth

  • Use a “nonsense device” to find alien artifacts.
  • Lots of driving and cutscenes.

5. Bearing the Truth

  • Donate $10,000 (split into two $5K payments).
  • Buy Epsilon Robes for $25,000.
  • Sleep 4–5 times to get the robes.
  • Then sleep about 40 times wearing them (each sleep = 6 hours in-game) to progress.

6. Delivering the Truth

  • Fly to Sandy Shores.
  • Jimmy Boston leaves behind a rare Epsilon car.

7. Exercising the Truth

  • Run 5 miles in the desert in Epsilon gear.
  • No vehicles, stay in the red zone.
  • Watch out for animals. If they kill you, progress resets.
  • Estimated time: 20–30 minutes.

8. Unknowing the Truth

  • Bring a huge cash donation to Cris Formage.
  • Final choice: obey and donate or betray and take the money.

Obey or Steal?

At the end, Michael has two options:

1. Hand over the cash:

  • Get a beat-up tractor with a vanity plate (“KFLAM”). That’s it.

2. Kill the cultists:

  • Walk away with over $2 million.
  • Cris will curse you out over the phone. You’re now “unsaveable.”

After the Missions: The Tracts

Once the main missions wrap up, Marnie Allen reaches out. She asks Michael to find 10 Epsilon Tracts hidden across the map. They must be found in a specific order. She’ll send riddles via text to hint at each location. Expect long travel times. Taxi fast-travel helps.

Find all 10, and you can read the full Epsilon Tract of the 9th Paradigm on the cult’s website.

Rare Vehicles and Rewards

Throughout the questline, you’ll encounter cars painted in a unique “Epsilon Blue” color. These are rare. You can:

  • Steal them during missions.
  • Store them in your garage.
  • Save and reload to make them respawn.

Vehicles include:

  • Tailgater
  • Landstalker
  • F620
  • Bison
  • Sentinel XS
  • Velum
  • Alpha

Most are blue, but a few like the red and black Bison stand out.

As for the Epsilon Robes, they’re mandatory for part of the quest but unclear as a permanent outfit after finishing. If you want them in GTA Online, you’ll need to repeatedly tip a nightclub restroom attendant.

Total Cost Summary

Here’s what you’ll need to cough up:

  • $500 (Seeking the Truth)
  • $5,000 (Accepting the Truth)
  • $10,000 (Bearing the Truth)
  • $25,000 (Epsilon Robes)

Total: $40,500, not counting vehicle purchases or travel.

If you take the money at the end, you get ~$2 million, making this one of the most profitable side quests in the game, if you play it right.

Should You Do It?

Absolutely. If you’re into GTA’s brand of satire and want to max out Michael’s story, the Epsilon Program is worth the time. It’s not hard, just tedious. And the final payout (if you go rogue) is huge.

More than that, though, it’s a sharp, ridiculous send-up of cults and pseudoscience, wrapped in a mission chain that could only exist in a game like GTA V.