GTA 6 Is About to Completely Transform One of Gaming’s Greatest Experiences

True to its namesake, Rockstar’s legendary Grand Theft Auto franchise has always centered around the art of grand larceny. Yet, the upcoming GTA 6 is poised to fundamentally transform one of gaming’s most visceral pleasures. After all, few experiences rival the rush of acquiring an exorbitantly expensive luxury vehicle, pushing it to its absolute limits, and ultimately abandoning it as a smoking, crumpled wreck by the roadside.

When Grand Theft Auto 6: An Extended Look premiered on Netflix back on August 27, a second viewing brought several subtle details into sharp focus. Following the chaotic, botched drug deal of the cold opening, our introduction to the game’s core mechanics features Jason boosting an automobile. The ride in question is a vintage late-seventies or early-eighties American sedan, sporting a distinct orangey-red coat of paint and a black vinyl roof. On-screen prompts offer two distinct methods of entry: a swift, destructive window smash or a more methodical approach using a slim jim to meticulously maneuver past the weather stripping and release the latch. Opting for the latter requires precise controller inputs and consumes more time, but it significantly reduces unwanted attention.

Back in GTA 5, commandeering a vehicle was wonderfully straightforward: approaching an occupied car allowed you to yank the driver out with a single button press. Alternatively, you could brandish a firearm to coerce them into fleeing, or smash a parked window with a swift elbow strike. GTA 6, however, abandons this casual simplicity in favor of immersive complexity.

According to IGN, the highly anticipated sequel introduces a sophisticated, tiered security hierarchy for all automobiles. Much like in the real world, acquiring high-end luxury models laden with modern technology demands specialized tools and tactical execution. Players will now need to carefully evaluate which targets are worth the effort. To assist in these calculated heists, protagonists Jason and Lucia are equipped with a gadget known as a “wank scanner,” which evaluates a vehicle’s market value and security parameters on the fly.

While the full spectrum of anti-theft mechanisms remains to be seen, certain models will feature digital key systems requiring electronic cloning. Others incorporate live tracking transponders that summon law enforcement the moment a vehicle dips below a specific velocity—forcing drivers to keep their foot firmly pressed against the floorboards. (While this mechanic may stretch real-world plausibility, compelling a car thief to maintain breakneck speeds for survival is undeniably an absolute thrill.)

Furthermore, breaking away from franchise tradition, GTA 6 allows players to offload virtually any stolen automobile for profit. The game adopts a stolen-goods fence network remarkably similar to the one found in 2018’s stellar Red Dead Redemption 2, giving players a rewarding and lucrative side enterprise to pursue.

One particularly unforgettable sequence from the Netflix showcase revealed Lucia stumbling upon an obnoxious social media influencer locked inside the trunk of her newly acquired vehicle. Beyond enriching the baseline mechanics of theft, this opens the door to countless unpredictable scenarios where protagonists might unearth bizarre surprises inside their ill-gotten gains. Just picture the potential: a duffel bag stuffed with illicit cash, a backseat overflowing with festive party supplies, or a fast asleep drifter!

Honestly, Rockstar, just grant us the simple pleasure of accidentally boosting a car hiding an aggressive alligator somewhere in the sprawling map of GTA 6. I’ll gladly look past the game’s glaring absence of a dedicated twerk button if we get that.

GTA 6 launches for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X on November 19.

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Source: Polygon