Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive have finally provided a substantial look at Grand Theft Auto VI, with the game’s roughly 26-minute Extended Look revealing a wide range of new details about its gameplay, characters and open world.
The presentation, which premiered on Netflix before arriving on Rockstar’s YouTube channel, was captured entirely from the base PlayStation 5 version. Alongside the footage, Rockstar has now provided a much clearer picture of how GTA VI is expanding on the systems introduced in previous entries, with several returning mechanics receiving significant changes.
Jason and Lucia remain at the centre of the experience, with the two protagonists designed to feel like a genuine partnership rather than simply separate characters sharing the same story. Players can switch between them during gameplay, although the transition includes a brief changeover rather than being completely instantaneous. The pair can work together during criminal activities or operate separately, giving Rockstar more flexibility in how missions and exploration unfold.
Their relationship also appears to play an important role outside of missions. GTA VI is introducing a range of contextual interactions that allow Jason and Lucia to engage with their surroundings and each other in smaller ways, while certain actions can influence their relationship. The game also includes an optional romance element, adding another layer to the dynamic between the two protagonists.
Rockstar is taking the contextual interaction concept introduced in Red Dead Redemption 2 considerably further. Players can interact with animals, objects and other parts of the environment without those activities necessarily being tied to a mission. These seemingly minor actions are part of a broader effort to make Leonida feel like a world that exists independently of the player.
The studio is also revisiting systems from earlier GTA games. The physique system from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is returning, allowing characters’ builds to change based on their activities. Jason and Lucia can participate in activities such as weight training, basketball and other physical pursuits, giving the protagonists another way to develop as they progress through the game.
Vehicle theft has received a similarly detailed overhaul. Rather than relying on one universal animation for stealing cars, GTA VI takes the type of vehicle into account. Older cars can still be quickly hotwired, while more sophisticated vehicles can require additional tools and time to bypass electronic security systems. This adds an element of decision-making to something that has traditionally been one of the most basic parts of the GTA formula.
The police system is being expanded as well, with the wanted system returning with up to six stars. More importantly, Rockstar is giving law enforcement more information to work with when pursuing the player. Factors such as a character’s appearance, clothing and vehicle can affect what police know about them, making it possible to take steps to avoid identification after committing a crime.
That creates more possibilities for escaping a wanted level than simply driving away from the scene. Disguises, changing vehicles and finding places to hide can all become part of getting away from police, while the surrounding AI continues to operate normally during these situations.
Leonida itself is designed to be significantly more varied than the setting of GTA V. Vice City serves as the centre of the game, but the surrounding region includes a much broader mixture of environments and communities. Rockstar has also redesigned the game’s map with detailed satellite-style imagery, giving players a more informative representation of the massive world they can explore.
The world simulation extends to characters’ everyday activities as well. Phones and social media play a larger role, while NPCs can use their devices during normal activities. These touches are part of Rockstar’s broader attempt to make Leonida feel populated and reactive even when the player isn’t actively involved in a mission.
Several new characters have also been introduced as part of Jason and Lucia’s expanding criminal network, including Boobie Ike, Dre’Quan Priest, Raul Bautista and Brian Heder. They represent different parts of Leonida’s underworld and will help flesh out the game’s wider cast beyond its two protagonists.
Rockstar is also promising a substantial story experience. According to co-studio head Rob Nelson, his own playthrough lasted around 80 hours, while the game’s chapter structure is said to encourage players to explore the world rather than simply rush from one story objective to another. That approach should give players considerably more freedom to experience Leonida on their own terms.
The Extended Look arrives at a particularly difficult time for Rockstar following the circulation of unauthorized GTA VI gameplay footage online. The studio addressed the leaks ahead of the presentation, acknowledging how frustrating it has been for the development team to see unfinished material released prematurely and apologizing to fans for the lengthy wait for official information. Rockstar also confirmed that subpoenas have been filed in connection with the leaks.
The studio has now given fans considerably more to examine, with the Extended Look providing the first extended demonstration of GTA VI’s gameplay rather than relying primarily on cinematic footage. It also makes clear that Rockstar is putting considerable emphasis on simulation, character interaction and environmental detail alongside the traditional driving, shooting and open-world chaos associated with the series.
The response has been largely positive, particularly regarding the game’s visuals and the sheer amount of detail present throughout Leonida. There has been some criticism, including concerns over the 30 frames-per-second footage shown on the base PlayStation 5 and hopes that a higher-frame-rate option could eventually be available on PS5 Pro. Some fans have also questioned whether the new characters will deliver the larger-than-life personalities traditionally associated with GTA.
Those concerns have been outweighed by interest in just how much Rockstar has packed into the game. Between the expanded world simulation, revamped police and vehicle systems, character interactions and deeper focus on Jason and Lucia, the Extended Look suggests GTA VI is aiming to be a significant evolution of the series’ open-world formula rather than simply a larger version of GTA V.
Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to launch for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19.