A slew of leaked GTA 6 footage has surfaced online, confirming numerous details about the much-anticipated crime fest.
With a wide variety of games in the pipeline, the leaked images give us our first glimpse of GTA 6 in action, albeit in a completely unpolished state. Weapon sets and other gameplay features are shown, while character and setting details are hinted at in the environment.
Everything is very unfinished. Overlaid with debug information and technical metrics, the footage is clearly taken from an ongoing build of the game. But it’s genuine. Rockstar confirmed that the leaked images are authentic and requested that many of the videos and screenshots shared via social media be taken down.
This leaves us to piece together exactly what was confirmed.
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)
Vice City is back
Corroborating a leak from earlier this year, the footage suggests that GTA 6 will take place in Vice City, Grand Theft Auto’s fictional version of Miami. The clips show numerous city signs and buildings bearing the words “Vice City” and “VCPD” written next to police cars (presumably an acronym for the Vice City Police Department).
But GTA 6 seems to be set in a modern version of the city. While 2002’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was set in the mid-1980s, the presence of contemporary-looking smartphones and cars suggests that GTA 6 will bring the metropolis into the present day. Although it is not only the city that you will explore. Some countryside is also shown, as well as what appears to be a swamp. Some familiar spots will also return, including the Malibu Club and the Ocean View Hotel.
Combo of two characters
The footage suggests that GTA 6 will feature two protagonists, as well as the first female lead character in the series. This aligns with a previous leak, which hinted at both game advantages and suggested that Rockstar was approaching the characters with more political sensibility than in other games.
The footage shows a Latina woman named Lucia, according to the clearance information, and her accomplice Jason. They used to be described as a Bonnie and Clyde type couple, and this footage certainly lives up to that. In a leaked video, the criminal duo is seen robbing a restaurant, holding up the cashier and escaping when the police arrive. Bonnie and Clyde are even mentioned by name in one of the debug menus.
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)
fight talk
The gunplay looks similar to GTA 5, with some new toys and features thrown in. The player is seen with various weapons, including an assault rifle, a sniper, a shotgun, a pistol, and a rocket launcher, along with improvised weaponry, such as a golf club. , baseball bat and crowbar. At one point, they throw their active weapon in their other hand and pick up a rifle off the floor to add to their inventory, both new features.
Looks like you’ll have some new moves to play with as well. A leaked video showed the player leaning his entire torso out of a car window while aiming an assault rifle in a full 360-degree circle. Elsewhere, the player approaches, crouches under cover, and carries an NPC on his shoulder. This could allow for more stealthy, stealth-focused combat.
A new radial weapon selection screen can also be seen. It appears to show a health kit or medicine of some kind, suggesting that players will be able to heal or buff themselves mid-fight.
Lots of Easter eggs
Even these leaked images show some callbacks and easter eggs fans will recognize from the wider GTA universe. Expect a lot of gaming business to return, with LTD Gasoline already making an appearance. Also featured is LifeInvader, GTA’s idiotic social media platform and a thinly veiled parody of Facebook.
(Image credit: Rockstar)
Five stars or bust
As expected, GTA 6 will feature the core quest levels of the series. The footage shows a five-star system like that of GTA 5, confirming that GTA 6 will not return to the six-star system that previous entries in the series had.
But the police have had an update. If the police see you get into a stolen vehicle, they will look for you, even after you’ve made your initial escape. It’s true to life (cars do have license plates, after all) and suggests you should think harder about evading the law.
Character customization
While the leaks didn’t fully showcase GTA 6’s character customization features, we at least had confirmation of their existence. Lucia, the game’s main female character, is shown in different outfits and hairstyles, confirming that your threads and hair are customizable. It will be interesting to see the depth of GTA 6’s character customization options after Saints Row leaned heavily on the feature earlier this year with its granular boss factory.