An enormous batch of leaked GTA 6 footage has appeared online, confirming numerous details about the much-anticipated crimefest.
Spanning a huge array of work-in-progress gameplay, the leaked footage hands us our first glimpse of GTA 6 in action – albeit in a completely unpolished state. Gunplay and other gameplay features are shown, while character and setting details are hinted at within the environment.
All of it is very much unfinished. Overlaid with debugging information and technical metrics, the footage is clearly taken from an in-progress build of the game. But it is genuine. Rockstar confirmed the leaked footage is authentic and asked that many of the videos and screenshots shared across social media be taken down.
That leaves us to stitch together exactly what was confirmed.
Vice City is back
Corroborating a leak from earlier this year, the footage suggests 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” is written on the side of police cars (presumably an initialism for Vice City Police Department).
But GTA 6 looks to be set in a modern-day version of the city. While 2002’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was set in the mid-’80s, the presence of smartphones and contemporary-looking cars suggest GTA 6 will take the metropolis to the present day. Although it’s not just the city you’ll be exploring. A few rural areas are also shown, as well as what looks like a swamp. A few familiar locations will also return, including the Malibu Club and the Ocean View hotel.
Two character combo
The footage suggests GTA 6 will feature two protagonists, as well as the series’ first female main character. That aligns with a previous leak, which hinted at the game’s dual leads and suggested Rockstar was approaching the characters with more political sensitivity than it had in other games.
The footage shows a Latina woman named Lucia, according to the debug info, and her accomplice Jason. They were previously described as a Bonnie and Clyde-type pair, and this footage certainly leans into that. In one leaked video, the criminal duo is seen robbing a diner, holding up the cashier, and making their escape as the police arrive. Bonnie and Clyde are even mentioned by name in one of the debug menus.
Fighting talk
Gunplay looks similar to that of GTA 5, with a few new toys and features thrown in. The player is seen wielding various weapons – including an assault rifle, sniper, shotgun, pistol, and rocket launcher – alongside makeshift armaments – like a golf club, baseball bat, and crowbar. At one point, they toss their active weapon to their other hand and pick up a rifle from the floor to add to their inventory – both of which are new features.
It looks like you’ll have some new moves to play with, too. One leaked video showed the player leaning their whole torso out of a car window while aiming an assault rifle in a full 360-degree circle. Elsewhere, the player goes prone, crouches in cover, and carries an NPC over their shoulder. That might allow for sneakier, more stealth-focused firefights.
A new radial weapon-select screen can also be spotted. It appears to show a health kit or medicine of some kind, suggesting players will be able to heal or buff themselves mid-fight.
A whole lotta Easter eggs
Even this leaked footage shows a few callbacks and easter eggs fans will recognize from the wider GTA universe. Expect many of the games’ in-world businesses to return, with LTD Gasoline making an appearance already. LifeInvader – GTA’s tongue-in-cheek social media platform and thinly veiled parody of Facebook – also pops up.
Five stars or bust
As expected, GTA 6 will feature the series’ staple Wanted levels. The footage shows a five-star system like that of GTA 5, confirming GTA 6 won’t be returning to the six-star system that previous entries in the series had.
But police have had an upgrade. If the cops see you entering a stolen vehicle, they’ll look for you, even after you’ve made your initial escape. It’s true to life – cars do have number plates, after all – and suggests you’ll have to put more thought into evading the law.
Character customization
While the leaks didn’t show GTA 6’s character customization features in full, we at least got confirmation of their existence. Lucia, the game’s main female character, is shown wearing different outfits and hairstyles, confirming your threads and hair can be customized. It’ll be interesting to see the depth of GTA 6’s character customization options after Saints Row leaned heavily into the feature earlier this year with its granular boss factory.
