Rockstar gave a wide-ranging interview about Grand Theft Auto VI, and it paints the clearest picture yet of how the game plays — and how big it has become. Here is what was confirmed.
What Rockstar confirmed
- Rockstar is aiming to combine the chaos and freedom of GTA V with the realism, immersion, and emotional depth of Red Dead Redemption 2.
- Eating affects weight, and exercise changes muscle size and tone — both returning from GTA San Andreas.
- The world is more reactive to the player. Actions that once drew little attention now produce believable reactions — for example, walking around publicly with a rifle will make NPCs comment on it.
- Jason is an ex-military drug runner; Lucia is a fighter recently released from prison.
- There are three ways to play in the open world: as Jason and Lucia together, as just Lucia, or as just Jason.
- One example given: driving as Jason, switching to Lucia in the passenger seat to use the in-game phone, then switching roles during a chase so one character drives while the other shoots — all in the open world, outside of missions.
- In-game social media feeds are confirmed.
- Jason and Lucia's relationship is described as a "Bonnie and Clyde-type narrative," intended to matter far more than relationships in previous GTA games.
- Player decisions may affect the relationship and characters in more emotionally meaningful ways — described as more in-depth than a simple honor system.
- Rockstar considers player freedom and self-expression central to GTA, aiming for lots of freedom without making Jason and Lucia feel like completely empty avatars.
- Spending long periods without sleep, or fleeing the police, can visibly affect the characters' appearance.
- NPCs are far more diverse in appearance than in previous Rockstar games — already noticeable in the trailers.
- Rockstar built new tools and production pipelines to create what it calls its most detailed and varied NPC population.
- Rockstar's development operation has more than doubled in size since Red Dead Redemption 2.
- A branch of Rockstar in LA is dedicated almost solely to the world of in-game pedestrians.
- More than 50 real street artists were brought in to design murals in the game.
- The team that deals with vehicle handling is made up of real racing drivers.
- Rockstar views GTA VI as something players could spend a decade or more playing — which contributes to the enormous pressure around the project.
Fishing the keys — one of many confirmed pastimes.
Verified interview additions
Rockstar describes GTA VI as a blend of GTA V’s freedom and chaos with Red Dead Redemption 2’s realism, immersion and emotional depth. The studio says eating can affect weight while exercise changes muscle size and tone. It also confirms a more reactive world: openly carrying a rifle can draw comments from nearby NPCs.
The studio’s research spans a decade of Florida field work and conversations with local communities including former criminals, police, gun dealers and club promoters. More than 50 street artists contributed murals, while new production tools support Rockstar’s most detailed and varied pedestrian population to date.