Every day we get one step closer to a proper Grand Theft Auto 6 announcement or trailer. Hopefully, when it drops, we get a lot of answers and see some of the game’s new mechanics in action. Until then, we can only hope, guess, and want. Of course, we’ve had leaks that do hint at a few of these, but this is what we want to see in GTA 6.
Better weather
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I don’t just want to see rain and a bit of snow. If we’re going back to Vice City, which is based on Miami, I want to see some tropical storms. More variation in the weather would be ideal; different strengths of rain, wind that affects the handling of a car, and snow that would slow down the walking speed of our protagonists. Weather forecasts on the in-game phone would be great, particularly if the weather might have an impact on a heist or robbery.
Custom music
We’ve always been blessed by decent musical choices in Grand Theft Auto, and there are always at least a few radio stations that people enjoy. But some kind of partnership with an external music provider like Spotify or Apple Music. It would be great to sync your favourite playlist and have GTA-appropriate adverts, or talk radio chats, between songs. An option to create an in-game playlist from a checklist of all the songs, allowing for more eclectic radio stations would be also awesome.
More interior areas
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This is likely something we’re going to get, but it’s worth mentioning. With the leak of money laundering, there will likely be more businesses to deal with, whether that means we can enter more buildings is yet to be seen. Due to the popularity of role-playing in the GTA community, more interiors would be welcome, but it would also be great to have larger buildings to explore, perhaps in heists or robberies. Or apartment buildings where you could go from door to door breaking and entering. So much love is given to the city, it would be nice to see that love given to the actual buildings.
Job roles
With hacking tools appearing in the leaks, there’s a chance you can take on the role of a hacker, but what we want is the ability to switch in and out of defined roles that come with kits to use; bank robber, police informant, car jacker, drug runner. These roles could even extend into roles for the online component where you can grab a sniper loadout or a CQB kit with a shotgun and door basher.
Customisable housing
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This has been on a lot of player’s most-wanted lists for some time. Housing has always been purchasable, usually offering several options. But there’s always been something missing to make each property feel like yours - customising. Even a basic system that upgrades the generic interiors would be a step up, but really, what we all want is a furniture catalogue ala Tom Nook. Give us beds, sofas, lush rugs, expensive paintings, detailed sculptures, and top-dollar sound systems. All I want is a walk-in vault, full of treasures with a gun wall where I can display weapons.
Immersive NPCs
It would be great to see GTA6 feature more depth with their NPCs; and have them interact with our protagonists in more natural ways. For example, have them react more to our presence, following us as we talk, or using items naturally as we would. If they’re eating a sandwich in a cut scene, they need to keep eating as they talk; if they’re loading a weapon, have them split their focus between talking and acting.
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It will all go so much further to establishing immersion. Rockstar has always been good at building emotion with NPCs, but it could be elevated. Think Cyberpunk 2077’s real-time scenes and we’re winning.
Better story
There are a lot of cinematic story options that haven’t been pursued in a Grand Theft Auto game. The series has always been inspired by film and TV but these have evolved greatly since GTAV was written and designed. Crime plotlines have shifted away from Scarface and The Sopranos and tend to feature an average Joe’s lives spiralling out of control like Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and Topboy. There could be much more emotion packed into a story where we see a normal life get shattered by drugs, killing, and money.
Weapon customisation
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Grand Theft Auto guns have always been fun to use, but they’re also pretty basic - a shotgun is a shotgun. But what if you could grab a shotgun, collect weapon parts, and tune the weapon? Add a drum magazine and a pistol grip? It would be great to grab an AK and swap out the stock, be able to add and remove a silencer on the fly, or slot in a foregrip to improve weapon control. If we’re all about immersion and adding in minutiae to feel more in control of our fate, then it seems like a logical step.
A defining era
We’re likely going to see GTA6 set in the current day, given that some of the equipment we’ve seen, like the hacking tools, are too modern for some eras. However, there are plenty of opportunities to use flashbacks to establish an era of some kind. Placing the story within a modern-day will open up a lot of options for satire for Rockstar, but the 2020s don’t carry a style like past decades do.
Every decade from the 1960s to the early 2000s was defined by music genres, fashion, and pop culture figures. It’s what made Vice City and San Andreas so popular, they encapsulated a time period so well. It would be great to see a throwback to the 60s or 70s in GTA6, even if it’s just for a few missions.
A changing map
Now, this is something that probably isn’t possible in the game’s campaign - although I’m giving a shout here for destructible scenery because that would make a huge change to the dynamics of missions - but what I’d love to see is an evolving map. One that develops over time, much like we see in Battle Royales.
Perhaps certain areas could be destroyed through a heist only to see construction crews in that part of the map for the weeks after. Boroughs could see an influx of money and begin replacing smaller buildings with skyscrapers; we could even see a return to the gang war territories that must be fought over in the online mode.
Playable cop/narc storyline
Another option that has been requested for a long time is the presence of a cop storyline. Now, unless one of our two new protagonists is undercover, this would have to be a set of side stories or DLC. Playing as a cop would turn the whole game on its head and force the player to adapt to a new way of playing - unless it’s a corrupt cop. It would be great to be on the other side of the wanted mechanic, having to be called in for backup or a robbery in progress. We could even play a parallel story that sees a cop trying to catch the game’s protagonists.
Optional survival mechanics
This one would have to be optional as it probably wouldn’t appeal to everyone. Survival mechanics are very popular in games now; many players, particularly those wanting to role-play, want to be able to eat, drink, and sleep, to keep their character alive and healthy. Of course, this could be a minimal interaction like a hunger meter impacts stamina, or it could feature the minutiae of daily care to get the best from the protagonist; including healing specific body parts, and certain foods that could buff abilities or steady your sniper aim.
Topics: GTA 6, GTA Online, Rockstar Games, Grand Theft Auto