Millions of people, including myself, have been waiting years for the release of Rockstar Games‘ newest Grand Theft Auto. Now, Grand Theft Auto VI is only a few months away, releasing in November for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and today we finally got our first official look at gameplay.
The extended look debuted exclusively on Netflix, but it is now available for everyone to watch on YouTube and Rockstar’s official website. However, it is age-gated, so you’ll need to have an account and be over 18 years old to watch it.
As a massive GTA fan who has been waiting over a third of my life for this latest instalment, I can confidently say that this extended look at the gameplay didn’t disappoint.
In the biggest look at the game yet, we got a look at missions, side activities, the world and its characters, combat, driving, and more. What I find most exciting, however, is the way in which Rockstar has clearly taken feedback and inspiration from the GTA V role-playing community and implemented significantly more role-playing elements into GTA VI. These elements appear minor in isolation, but they could have a huge impact on the overall gameplay and flow of the experience.
I’ve always appreciated heightened realism in games. Yes, I’m the type who would manually go around and pick up items in the shops in Red Dead Redemption II. For me, the more immersive a game is, the more enjoyment I get from it. It’s why Red Dead Redemption II is one of my favorite games of all time and why GTA VI could soon join it among my favorites if it can deliver on what we have seen today.
So, what are the things I noticed that have me most excited?
Morality From RDR2 Returns
Firstly, morality plays a role, just like it did in Red Dead Redemption II. During the gameplay reveal, there is a moment where Jason pets a dog, and doing so makes a devil with a halo, aka an angel, appear in the HUD. Just how much that affects your experience remains to be seen, but if Red Dead Redemption II is anything to go by, this opens up the possibility of multiple endings, unique cutscenes, and more.
Food Is Important, But Don’t Overindulge
Next, we have food, which appears to have buffs attached to it. We see this when Jason opens the fridge, as a few items have symbols next to them. These symbols are connected to Stamina and Focus. While we don’t know exactly what these buffs do, it’s probably safe to assume that they give you more of each resource and impact things such as their regeneration rates.
Not only is food more important, but it also impacts the appearance of Jason and Lucia. If you eat too much, they will get fat. I was one of the people who loved this way back in GTA: San Andreas, but it remains to be seen if the transformations are as extreme for Jason or Lucia as they were for CJ.
Along the same lines, we also see a shot of Lucia bench-pressing in the gym. This means that, just as you can get fat, you can also get fit. I will personally be going to the gym with Jason and Lucia as much as I can. There is no excuse for skipping a day at the gym, and even playing GTA VI will remind you of that.
Gun-play Looks Smoother Than Ever
One of the biggest complaints about Rockstar titles has been their gun-play. It can often feel a little sluggish and overly assisted. However, GTA VI appears to have taken a good step forward in this area. There is a section where we see a party being invaded and Jason popping heads like a sharpshooter, but it’s the way he transitions between using a pistol and picking up a downed enemy’s rifle that caught my eye.
It was seamless, with no slowdown or menus involved, and it just worked. We also got to see a section where Lucia was carrying a bag and using a shotgun one-handed. Is she the ultimate bad-ass of this game? I think so.
The best part is that this increased fluidity doesn’t seem to come at the cost of the detailed animations we had in something like Red Dead Redemption II. For people like me who want the most immersive yet seamless experience, it looks like GTA VI might have delivered on that front, at least when it comes to combat.
I Can’t Wait For This To Finally Be Released
Grand Theft Auto VI looks like it will deliver everything I have wanted a GTA game to be for years, though I recognize that some of these more simulation-based elements won’t be for all GTA fans. If anyone can balance the enhanced realism and immersion we first saw in Red Dead Redemption II with the wild, funny moments that the GTA franchise is known for, it’s Rockstar Games.
I’m genuinely ecstatic about everything we have been shown thus far, and, of course, questions remain. How deep do these RPG-style systems go? Will they stop me from just having fun in a tank if I want? And what’s happening with GTA Online? But all those questions are for another day.
For now, let’s just enjoy the fact that we are closer to GTA VI than we have ever been, with the game scheduled to release for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19, 2026.
