After years of rumors and speculations, GTA 6 is officially coming. While Rockstar hasn’t provided any details just yet (they didn’t even call it “GTA 6”, but instead just “the next entry in the series”), they did mention something about it being more significant than its predecessor. Not that it’s surprising, but it’s worth pointing out in the case of something as big as Grand Theft Auto.
Looking at Rockstar’s history, it’s pretty unlikely that this new GTA game will come out sometime this year or even next year. For context, GTA IV was announced in May 2006, but it wasn’t until April 2008 that Rockstar released it to the public. Same thing goes for GTA V, which was announced in November 2011 and released in September 2013.
While Rockstar is busy at it, why don’t we talk about what GTA 6 will bring, and what can be improved from the previous games (aside from the graphics quality, obviously). Since there hasn’t been any official information, surely we’re free to speculate on what GTA 6 could and should be.
Here are 10 things we definitely want to see in GTA 6.
Same release date for all platforms
I know, I know, this comes from my very biased opinion as a PC user, but hear me out: Now that the specs of next-gen consoles are even more in line with PC, why can’t this be a thing? With GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar was targetting consoles with a much wider performance gap than PC, but I don’t think that is the case now. Both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X have the processing capabilities similar to that of a mid-range gaming PC, so I don’t think a separate release is necessary.
Being launched at the same time on all platforms means GTA 6 has the potential to break even more sales-related records than before, and more importantly, minimize the risk of alienating its loyal fan base. Unless, of course, if Rockstar enjoys seeing its cash cow being re-released over and over for years to come.
New location
As much as I want to revisit Vice City in a more modern era and in a much better graphical details (as GTA 6 is heavily rumored to be set in), I still want to see what new surprises Rockstar can bring to the table. And even though I’d like to see a modern GTA game being set in other countries than the United States of America, I still think it won’t really fit the satirical narratives that the GTA series always brings.
So, a new city, but still in America with all of its ridiculous stereotypes; that’s what I really want to see in GTA 6. Maybe even drop in some cities in the Latin America region as extras. That would be really cool to see.
Another fancy alternative would be if GTA 6 could combine Vice City and Liberty City together, while bringing in some new locations that connect those two. I know GTA V map size is already really big, but there’s no stopping Rockstar getting it even bigger in the next entry as a way of delivering something more significant.
More explorable buildings
Speaking of bigger map, it would be a shame if it wasn’t complemented by more explorable buildings. One of the problems of open-world games in general is always the lack of places with interiors that can be freely explored. GTA V suffers from this a lot. It even has a huge casino that cannot be accessed, unless you’re in GTA Online. I’d be disappointed as hell if this would happen again in GTA 6.
I’m not saying that all buildings in GTA 6 should be explorable, I’m just saying that there should be more of them than in the previous games. Considering that Rockstar is designing this game for devices with better hardware overall, surely this isn’t too much to ask, right?
Female protagonist
Over the years, the GTA series has brought protagonists from many different archetypes. There’s the hot-tempered Tommy Vercetti of GTA Vice City, the naive but benevolent Carl Johnson of GTA San Andreas, the mature yet cynical Niko Bellic of GTA IV, and of course the trio of very different characters of GTA V. Yet the series has never featured a female protagonist with strong backstories.
It’s not that Rockstar isn’t able to do that: Sadie Adler from Red Dead Redemption 2 is a good example of a badass female character that Rockstar can bring, yet her role in that game is nothing more than a sidekick to the main protagonists. I’d really love to see Rockstar bringing a lead female character in GTA 6, especially if they would like to retain the multiple protagonist design of GTA V.
More stranger missions
Speaking of Red Dead redemption 2, one of the best things of that game, in my opinion, is its collection of stranger missions. From helping a careless wildlife photographer to finding missing animals for an eccentric circus performer, these missions really help bringing more purposeful side activities to the game. GTA V also has this type of side missions, but they feel dull compared to what Red Dead Redemption 2’s offering.
The nature of how the missions are spread accross the game’s world in Red Dead, hidden in plain sight, fosters an even more lasting impression of the moments they include. This is something that GTA 6 could utilize, especially if it comes with a very big map to explore.
Better driving
Speaking of exploration, I personally hope that Rockstar can bring back the driving physics of GTA IV. Compared to GTA V, cars in GTA IV feel heavier and more realistic to drive. Some might argue that it’s more difficult and frustrating to drive in GTA IV than GTA V, but for me, that actually adds to the immersion I’m getting from playing the game.
No, I don’t need realism. I just crave for more immersion while getting from point A to B, especially in a game that highlights driving as its main gameplay feature.
Better wanted system
I never get how the wanted system in the GTA series works. If I accidentally ran over a guy in a rural area and no one saw me, surely the cops wouldn’t be coming at all, right? Sadly no, and this is what I want to see being refined in GTA 6. If we were in the middle of nowhere in some kind of a desert area, the police should take a while longer to get to us than they would if we were in an urban area with a lot of witnesses.
Now that I mention something about witness, maybe GTA 6 can even borrow the witness system from Red Dead Redemption 2. I don’t know, but Rockstar really needs to perfect the wanted system in the next GTA game.
Better gunplay and hand-to-hand combat
The GTA series is never praised for its gunplay, but I think it’s time for Rockstar to really step up their game with GTA 6. After all, this is the company that brought us Max Payne 3, and that game has very decent shooting mechanics. Moreover, Red Dead Redemption 2 shows that Rockstar can design guns that feel tactile and weighted, and shooting in that game really feels much more satisfying than in GTA V.
Another thing that GTA 6 can learn from Red Dead Redemption 2 is its hand-to-hand combat. Whether I’m playing in third-person or first-person view, I’m always looking for reasons to engage Arthur in a fistfight, be it inside a bar or out in the streets. In contrast, I never like brawling in GTA V, not even when I’m playing as Trevor. As a result, I always resort to guns, but then again, the shooting is also meh.
Better roleplaying
If it’s any indication, the growing popularity of GTA Online’s roleplay servers clearly shows that players are really into mixing chaos with occasional mundane tasks. Perhaps Rockstar can give us more meaningful non-violent activities in GTA 6. Triathlons and golf courses are cool, but maybe it would be even cooler if things like work and leisure were harmoniously integrated into a proper life sim aspect in GTA 6.
Better online experience
Let me be honest with you: I never like GTA Online. Each time I tried to play it, I was being put off by its mess of menus and annoying trolls, not to mention the godawful long waiting time I needed to get by before doing generally anything. This isn’t by design, of course, as the success of GTA Online clearly outperformed Rockstar’s own initial expectations.
With GTA 6, Rockstar now has a real chance to build a proper online mode, with systems and structures that can support an evolving and ever-expanding world. At least make it more approachable to newcomers at every stage of its life.
