GTA 6 gameplay: everything revealed so far

Confirmed said by Rockstar or Take-TwoPreview report seen by press at Rockstar North, not officially statedRumor / leak unverified

The GTA 6 Extended Look

On August 27, 2026, Netflix premiered Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look, a roughly 26-minute presentation captured entirely on PS5. Confirmed It went live on Netflix at 3 p.m. ET and on Rockstar's YouTube channel six hours later. The demand briefly spiked Netflix error reports just before it started.

The footage opens with Jason and Lucia arriving at an apartment block to collect a package for Boobie Ike. The deal falls apart, police raid the building and the pair shoot their way out. Along the way Jason pets a dog, and an on-screen icon suggests the game quietly tracks that kind of behaviour. On the same day, press previews from a visit to Rockstar North went live with far more detail.

Story structure and length

• Rob Nelson's latest playthrough took about 80 hours. Preview report
• The campaign is split into chapters, like Red Dead Redemption 2, and encourages exploring between main missions.
• Choices big and small shape the story; some pay off much later, which Rockstar hopes will reward replays.
• Missions often offer several approaches or escape routes, and you can let your partner drive while you shoot.
• Money matters more than ever: some story beats reportedly require you to raise a set amount of cash first.
• The script keeps GTA's satire but avoids short-lived memes and hot-button news that would date quickly.

The new wanted system

Rockstar North's Rob Nelson has said police will be much harder to shake than in past games, moving away from cops who forget you the moment you're out of sight. Confirmed Previews add the details. Preview report

• The maximum wanted level returns to six stars.
• Police only respond when a witness or a camera sees the crime, and they get told what happened.
• Icons under the stars show exactly what police know: your face, your outfit or your car.
• Lose the description by changing your whole outfit, visiting a barber, ditching the car or wearing a mask and dumping it later. A new hat alone won't fool anyone.
• The crime scene stays hot for a while after you escape, with officers searching the area.
• Jason and Lucia can split up to divide police attention, and one can get busted while the other stays free.
• Better sprinting, vaulting and climbing make escaping on foot through alleys a real option, especially in Vice City's tight traffic.
• A separate Heat level tracks how much attention you've drawn. Police remember your outfit, so buying new clothes clears it, Rob Nelson told IGN. Confirmed
• Getting caught still means the classic "Busted" screen and a respawn. Confirmed

The Heat and wanted system explained.

Robberies, heists and money

Stores, businesses and banks can all be robbed, alone or as a couple. Preview report Every job balances speed against payout: blowing the safe is quick but can destroy valuables, while finding the combination preserves everything but gives police time to surround you. Many locations have back exits. Stolen goods and cars have to be sold through fences, and some fences tip you off to valuable targets such as cars in police impound lots.

Money also gates the story: some missions only open once you have enough cash, Game Informer reports. Preview report Rockstar hasn't said how much. How money-gated missions work.

Stealing and selling cars

• Cars are split into security tiers; expensive ones are much harder to take. Preview report
• The WAINK phone app scans a car for its value, locks, alarm and tracker.
• Old cars open with a slim jim; modern luxury cars need tools like key cloners, some unlocked through the story.
• Damage lowers what a fence will pay, and GPS-tracked cars report you to police unless you outrun the signal.
• Trunks store spare weapons and a change of clothes, handy for losing a description.
• One button no longer steals any parked car, and you can always carjack a driver. The scanner also shows a car's registration cost. Confirmed

How car theft works in GTA 6.

Combat and the Criminal Profile

Shots to the arms or legs can take enemies out without killing them, and good aim can shoot a gun out of someone's hand. Preview report Instead of Red Dead 2's good-or-evil Honor meter, GTA 6 uses a Criminal Profile that reflects patterns in how you play, from pointless violence to small habits like throwing trash away properly. Violence a mission requires doesn't count against you, and clean, efficient jobs build your reputation.

"There isn't a right or wrong way to play this game," Rob Nelson told IGN. Confirmed The profile is separate from Jason and Lucia's relationship, which also changes how their story plays out. The Criminal Profile explained.

Life in Leonida

• More than 600,000 NPC animations, versus about 55,000 in GTA V, with a much wider range of body types. Preview report
• Greet, taunt, provoke or calm down strangers. Follow someone too long and they'll confront you.
• Your phone is a real object in the character's hand. Snapmatic returns, but as fugitives Jason and Lucia can't post photos.
• Safehouses work like Red Dead 2's camps, with people coming and going.
• Jason and Lucia's bodies change with exercise and diet; food restores a lot of health.
• A new Focus ability highlights nearby objects and helps you avoid police.
• Expect the biggest set of radio and TV ads in series history, and strange encounters like a lawyer living in a dumpster.
• For the first time, you can listen to the radio and on-demand podcasts on foot, through earbuds connected to your phone. Confirmed Every radio station so far.
• You can text or call the other lead at any time. Ignoring a goodnight message "may impact your relationship a bit", and how you treat each other changes how the story plays out. Confirmed
• Ryde Me, the game's Uber parody, doubles as fast travel. Confirmed
• Safehouses only let you cut hair shorter or shave it; salons offer new styles. Confirmed

Everything new from IGN's full Rob Nelson interview.

Performance and camera

Rockstar North's Rob Nelson told a creator at the August previews that GTA 6 currently targets 30fps on all consoles, and that a 60fps option at launch or later was still undecided. Preview report The same creator reported no first-person mode at launch. Rockstar hasn't confirmed either officially, or said what the PS5 Pro adds. Rumor / leak Rob Nelson has also explained that GTA 6 aims to feel realistic rather than chase photorealism, so it still looks good years from now. Confirmed

Digital Foundry estimates the base PS5 version renders at around 1440p before upscaling, and says Sony's new QSSR upscaler could sharpen it if Rockstar adds support. Preview report PS5 vs PS5 Pro for GTA 6.

Will GTA 6 run at 60fps? Every console explained.

Latest Edge preview: NPCs, interiors and world simulation

The October 29 feature reports around 600,000 NPC animations and personality traits that may shape pedestrian reactions. It also describes an order of magnitude more interiors than previous entries and more contextual police searches. Treat these as preview-reported details, not final technical specifications. Read the full Edge preview roundup, or see our dedicated NPC animation report.

Gameplay FAQ