IGN's full Rob Nelson interview: the GTA 6 details we didn't have before

IGN has published the full version of its GTA 6 interview with Rob Nelson, Rockstar North's head of development and co-studio head, recorded while he played the game live. Confirmed IGN's August preview covered the headline points. The full transcript adds the smaller ones, plus a few unscripted moments, including a police chase that didn't go to plan.

Here's what's new, or newly clear, from Rockstar itself.

Jason and Lucia's relationship

• You can text or call the other character at any time, whoever you're playing as. Confirmed
• Ignoring them has a small cost. Leaving a goodnight message unanswered "may impact your relationship a bit," Nelson said. Confirmed
• It changes the story. There's no gameplay reward for staying close, but "whether you've nurtured the relationship or not will definitely have a bearing on how their story plays out." Confirmed
• Romance is optional. The story keeps them working together for most of the game either way. "It's not something that we want to foist upon players." Confirmed
• Time together builds it: pool, mini golf, kayaking, or robbing a bank.

The interview also shows Jason in the shower with nudity, in line with the game's Mature and 18 ratings.

You're not the only one with a gun

Nelson said earlier GTA games made the player uniquely dangerous: "You were the only one with an invisible arsenal hidden away. This world in GTA 6 is not like that." Confirmed Armed bystanders can join a fight, and people notice if you tail them or stand too close listening in.

Police, Heat and getting caught

• Crimes only count if someone sees them or an alarm goes off. Confirmed
• A new Heat system tracks how much attention you have. Police remember your outfit, and buying new clothes clears it. Confirmed
• Focus mode, which Nelson compared to Red Dead Redemption 2's Eagle Eye, highlights nearby police. Confirmed
• Getting caught still ends with the classic "Busted" screen and a respawn. Confirmed

Full breakdown: GTA 6's Heat system explained.

Cars, money and getting around

• Ryde Me, the game's Uber parody, doubles as fast travel. Confirmed
• The phone scanner shows a car's locks, alarm and tracker, what a Pay 'n' Spray or fence will pay for it, and its registration cost. Confirmed More in how car theft works in GTA 6.
• Money matters more than in any GTA before, and some story missions wait until you've earned enough. Confirmed
• Missions are less strict. On a police escape with Raul, for example, leaving the suggested route doesn't fail the mission, GTABase notes from the interview. Preview report

Looks, safehouses and the world

• Hair: at a safehouse you can only cut your hair shorter or shave it. New styles come from salons. Confirmed
• Bodies change: the gym builds strength, and overeating makes your character gain weight. Confirmed
• Safehouses are "probably closer to the camps in RDR2" than old GTA hideouts. Confirmed
• Animals: you can study wildlife for a collection, a mechanic borrowed from Red Dead 2. Confirmed See the 170+ species.
• NPCs come in far more heights and body shapes, because animations are retargeted to each body on the fly. Confirmed
• Snapmatic lets you browse and follow, but you can't post, because Jason and Lucia are "a couple on the run". Confirmed
• A dedicated team in Los Angeles writes the background dialogue.

The bigger picture

Nelson said the long development pushed Rockstar away from topical jokes: "Very specific political issues or memes will date fast." Confirmed The team has doubled in size because of the game's scale, and IGN puts development at 13 years. His summary: "it's still very much Grand Theft Auto."

Our read

Nothing here overturns what we knew. The relationship details are the most important: for the first time Rockstar has said outright that how you treat each other changes how Jason and Lucia's story plays out. The Criminal Profile is separate from that, so there are two systems shaping your version of the story.

Questions people are asking