Grand Theft Auto 6 is right there on the horizon. In a matter of days, we’ll be exploring Leonida and digging into everything Rockstar Games has spent several years piecing together. It has been a very long road, but we’re almost there.
Before the game arrives, there are several very important things you should know. If you’re a die-hard GTA fan, you might already know most of this, but if you’re relatively new to the game or haven’t been following the latest Grand Theft Auto 6 news, you might have missed some of it.
Here are the top 10 things you need to know before GTA 6 comes out.
1. When and Where Can You Play GTA 6?
Grand Theft Auto 6 comes out on November 19, 2026.
It’s coming to PlayStation 5 and XBOX Series X|S platforms only; no PC or Nintendo Switch 2 releases have been announced.
The earliest you can play GTA 6 is in the New Zealand time zone, but if you do the New Zealand trick, you can technically access it hours before your normally scheduled time, as it’s following a local midnight unlock pattern around the world.
Here are the guides you’ll need for that:
2. Who Are The Main Characters in GTA 6?
In this game, you’re playing as two characters, mirroring the trio-of-characters arrangement we had in 2013’s GTA 5. GTA 6 introduces Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos, and the unique dynamic here is that they’re in love. This is a) the first time we’re playing a Grand Theft Auto game as a couple, and b) the first time we’re playing GTA as a female lead.
Rockstar has described the game as a story about the two of them relying on each other as they try to get away from their life of crime. But it’s not an easy road, and they quickly find themselves embroiled in an intense criminal conspiracy that threatens to destabilize the entire state around them.
3. The Map is Leonida, Not Vice City
You might have seen Vice City referenced everywhere in the marketing materials for Grand Theft Auto 6, but it’s worth pointing out that this is not the game’s setting. It’s the main urban hub at the heart of Leonida, the fictional in-game state that replicates Florida. In this universe, Vice City is effectively Miami.
Around Leonida, you’ve got various ‘biomes’, including: Port Gellhorn, Ambrosia, the Leonida Keys, Grassrivers, and the Mount Kalaga National Park.
It has been said that the map is roughly the size of GTA 4, GTA 5, and Red Dead Redemption 2 combined.
4. The World Reacts To You
The most important element that separates GTA 6 from every other Grand Theft Auto game is how the world and its occupants react to you as the player.
You’ll find that NPC behavior is more advanced than ever before, and it relies heavily on contextualization of a situation to formulate a reaction. Different areas will have different types of pedestrians, meaning the way people react to you will change with each location.
For instance, walking around with a weapon in your hands will incite a different reaction than if it were visibly holstered, and that reaction will differ depending on who sees you and where they are in the world.
NPCs are much more dynamic than ever before.
5. The Police System Has Been Upgraded
The GTA ‘Wanted’ system is evolving in GTA 6, which might seem obvious.
This time around, it’s far more intelligent than ever before. Police officers can learn what you’re wearing, who you’re with, what you’re driving, and how you behave, and use that to build a profile for identification.
We know that there are more varied police units now, including K9 units that chase and pin Jason and Lucia during a fight.
The police systems are designed to make your actions matter more after a crime has been committed, and everything you do contributes to a profile that’s akin to Red Dead’s reputation system.
6. Weapons and Vehicles Work Differently
This isn’t the GTA games of old where you can carry an arsenal of a dozen weapons without any issues whatsoever. It’s more grounded than that, and it mirrors what Red Dead Redemption 2 did with weapons.
They’ll be stored in the trunk of your car, and you’ll need to pick what you want to carry before you head off on a mission. That means you can only carry a few weapons at a time, much like you could in RDR2.
In terms of cars themselves, you’re bound by limited fuel and a need to keep a vehicle in decent condition to stay moving. Also, the better the car, the tougher it might be to steal, given that it will be equipped with more anti-theft devices and perhaps even trackers that bring the police down on your head when you least expect it.
7. You Don’t Need to Drive
GTA 6 boasts a full-fledged public transport system that works flawlessly and allows for ease of access around the world without needing to drive everywhere.
That means trains, subway systems, app-ordered taxis, rentable scooters, and more are all available around Leonida. You can spend plenty of time exploring the base map without worrying about driving everywhere.
That public transport element weighs into other areas, too. For instance, it has been said that, if you’re in a police chase and cut line of sight, you can hop on a train or a bus and ride it away from the scene, and as long as you’re not seen getting aboard, you’ll escape while sitting still and doing nothing.
8. The World is Richer Than Ever
There is a staggering amount to do in and around Leonida in Grand Theft Auto 6. That has been confirmed numerous times by Rockstar Games in interviews, and the sheer volume of side content is mind-blowing.
GTA 6 has addressed some ’empty map’ concerns from previous games by making more interiors than ever before accessible. It has been described as ‘orders of magnitude more’ buildings can be accessed.
Fictional brands, radio stations, celebrity cameos, television shows, the pedestrian population, dynamic opportunities… Everything is broader and bolder than ever before.
This means you need to be expected to spend an enormous amount of time away from the main story just exploring towns, talking to people, visiting stores, and uncovering small interactions.
9. Your Criminal Profile Matters
I mentioned a criminal profile further up this list, and it’s time to go more in-depth with that.
You can either be a professional criminal or an irredeemable one in Grand Theft Auto 6, and that accolade is tied to how you carry out crimes and explore the open world.
The way you deal with crime in GTA 6 will have ramifications on the wider story, especially given how Jason and Lucia appear to be trying to escape a life of crime.
It hasn’t been detailed yet what the granular impact of your actions will be in GTA 6, but we can safely assume they’ll be extremely well thought out, if Red Dead’s systems are anything to go by.
10. Prepare Before Launch
GTA 6 can be pre-loaded from November 12 onwards, and that means you’ve got a week to get the game installed on your console, ready for that November 19 release day.
You’ll need to make sure you’ve got the space available on your console before that happens.
Also, it’s worth stressing that GTA 6 is digital only, and while you can saunter into Walmart or GameStop and buy a copy, it’ll be nothing more than a code in a box.
If you pre-order the game, you’ll pick up exclusive pre-order bonuses that include a free month of GTA+, which you’ll get access to the moment you’ve successfully bought the game.
And it’s also worth pointing out that the Ultimate Edition is very much worth the $20 extra you’ll pay to get it.
And finally, don’t let the internet ruin this game for you. Be aware that the closer we get to launch, the more leaks and theories are likely to surface. In the run-up to the game coming out and during the launch window, be careful with social media to avoid having the game spoiled.
That’s about it! Let us know how you’re preparing for GTA 6 on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
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Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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