Rockstar Games shared new Grand Theft Auto 6 gameplay details through an IGN interview with Rockstar North Head of Development and Co-Studio Head Rob Nelson.
The discussion followed a 30-minute playthrough showing how protagonists Jason and Lucia live, take on missions, encounter police and move through the open world.
Character routines and open-world exploration
Safehouses are designed with more interactivity and routines, letting Jason and Lucia spend time together or separately.
Players can switch between the two protagonists, while basic grooming is available at home and new hairstyles require visits to barbers or salons.
Rockstar is using location-specific shops to encourage exploration, with some clothing and hairstyle options available only at particular stores.
Personal vehicles can have usable trunks for carrying extra outfits and weapons, while taxis can include conversations with other passengers.
Nelson said Rockstar aimed to preserve the elements that made earlier games resonate while expanding their systems and world design.
"The challenge for us on this game is the same as it is on any new game for us, which is – how do we evolve and build upon the good things we have done before, in all the ways these things need to evolve, but at the same time ensure that the game still has everything that made the previous games in this series resonate with people?"
said Rob Nelson, Rockstar North Head of Development and Co-Studio Head.
NPC behavior is another major focus, with characters able to react when players watch, follow or approach them for too long.
Those reactions can lead to conversations, escapes or confrontations, while NPCs also have broader differences in height and body shape with animations adapted to their proportions.
The open world can generate activities from overheard conversations, spontaneous suggestions from Jason or Lucia, and unusual encounters.
One highlighted encounter involved a man living in a dumpster who can later provide legal advice after receiving pills.
Missions, police and robbery systems
Mission design is similarly flexible, with quests offering multiple solutions and some scripted sequences transitioning into sections where players choose their approach.
Jason and Lucia can fight together or separate during dangerous situations, with the surviving partner able to communicate afterward.
Police mechanics have also been expanded, with hollow wanted stars indicating that authorities know a crime occurred but do not yet know the suspect's appearance.
A single full star can be escaped relatively easily, according to Polygon and VICE.
Robberies introduce additional trade-offs, as players can open safes quickly at the risk of damaging their contents or spend more time finding combinations to preserve more loot.
Police may also surround robbery locations, while alternative exits can provide escape routes.
Vehicle theft has added systems as well, with stolen cars able to lose value when damaged and trackers able to alert police when a driver moves too slowly.
Vehicle fences can provide information related to stolen cars and police impound lots.
Rockstar is also emphasizing consequences across repeated playthroughs, with smaller story decisions able to accumulate into larger effects.
The narrative was designed with replaying the game in mind.
IGN also described Rockstar's use of current-generation console memory to increase environmental and character variety.
The studio is targeting PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, with Grand Theft Auto 6 scheduled for release on Nov.
19.
