IGN's Full GTA 6 Interview Reveals Even More Gameplay Details
IGN has published its full interview with Rockstar Games' Rob Nelson, revealing a collection of additional GTA 6 gameplay details that weren't included in the outlet's original coverage.
The lengthy conversation originally took place in July while Nelson, Rockstar North's Co-Studio Head and Head of Development, played approximately 30 minutes of Grand Theft Auto VI in front of IGN.
Much of what was shown was detailed when IGN published its initial GTA 6 preview in August, including the game's new Wanted system, robberies, car theft, Jason and Lucia's relationship and numerous other gameplay mechanics.
However, IGN has now released the conversation in full, providing considerably more context and revealing plenty of smaller details that didn't make it into the original articles.
Robberies Are a Major Part of GTA 6
We've previously learned that money will be much more important in GTA 6, with players sometimes required to earn cash in the open world before they can continue progressing through story missions.
The full interview makes it even clearer just how important robberies will be to this gameplay loop.
Discussing footage from GTA 6's Extended Look, Nelson explained that a brief sequence showing Jason and Lucia committing several robberies represents a significant portion of what players will be doing away from the main story.
"The video showcases three pretty action-heavy missions intercut with loads of other things you can do, but in just one little sequence we show a couple of robberies, which represents a HUGE amount of what you can and need to be doing in this game in between story missions."
Robberies don't appear to be restricted to a small selection of specifically designated stores either. During the demonstration, Nelson said players can "rob pretty much anything", before deciding to hold up a shop selling headphones.
"You can rob pretty much anything. So we can go into this place where you buy headphones, for example, and rob it."
Players are encouraged to prepare before beginning a robbery. Nelson suggested positioning a getaway vehicle outside before entering a store, although he deliberately skipped the preparation during IGN's demonstration to see what would happen.
"I should really be preparing for this robbery. Like by putting a vehicle out front. But I'm not going to, we're just going to see what happens."
Once inside, Nelson found a safe and searched for its combination. He was carrying an explosive that could alternatively have opened it, but doing so would have damaged some of the valuables inside.
Police eventually began gathering outside the store, forcing Nelson to escape through a rear exit.
Big and Small Choices Can Affect the Story
IGN asked Nelson whether GTA 6's eventual outcome will depend upon numerous smaller decisions or a handful of major choices.
According to Nelson, the answer is both.
"There are lots of choices, big and small. The small ones add up to mean something; some big ones mean a lot in the moment you make them."
Exactly how far this system extends remains unclear, although Rockstar has already confirmed that a player's Criminal Profile and the strength of Jason and Lucia's relationship can influence how aspects of the narrative play out.
Nelson also revealed that GTA 6 doesn't place as much emphasis on physically changing the world over time as Red Dead Redemption 2, where players could encounter buildings and settlements under construction and later return to find them completed.
"That's not included as much with this game. It's just not as big a part of the story."
Zoos, Scuba Diving, Parachuting and Studying Wildlife
Several additional activities were casually mentioned during the interview as Nelson explained the different ways Jason and Lucia can spend time together.
Alongside previously confirmed activities such as kayaking, walking on the beach and committing robberies, players will apparently be able to visit a zoo, go scuba diving and parachuting.
"All of this qualifies as quality time for Jason and Lucia, by the way. Robbing places together, or walking around, holding hands, going to a zoo, studying animals, going scuba diving, parachuting, walking on the beach, kayaking…"
The ability to study animals is another mechanic carried across from Red Dead Redemption 2.
IGN noticed the option while Nelson interacted with a dog, prompting him to confirm that animals can be studied as part of a collection system and to obtain additional information about them.
"Yeah, you can study animals as a collection sort of thing. And just as a way to get more information about them. It's something we've brought over from Red Dead Redemption 2."
Nelson said the mechanic gives players another way of interacting with GTA 6's extensive wildlife without needing to kill it.
Jason and Lucia Live Their Own Lives
Switching between GTA 6's protagonists won't simply find the other character waiting around for the player.
Jason and Lucia have their own routines, meaning the other protagonist could be at the Safehouse or somewhere else in the world when players switch to them.
"He has his own routine where he'll go out and do his own thing. You can switch to him and sometimes he's in the Safehouse, sometimes he's out doing various things."
That resulted in an amusing unscripted moment during IGN's demonstration when Nelson switched from Lucia to Jason and found him completely naked and taking a shower.
IGN's transcript describes Jason as "naked" when the switch occurs, prompting Nelson to joke:
"Oh, or you can switch and Jason's in the shower!"
The moment provides another example of how GTA 6's character-switching system can drop players into whatever Jason or Lucia happens to be doing at the time, rather than placing them into a predetermined activity.
The demo also produced an apparently unplanned encounter with a man living in a dumpster. Lucia could choose whether to give him pills and could later return to receive legal advice from him. Players can even climb into the dumpster alongside him.
Nelson used encounters such as these to demonstrate how unpredictable the world can be while simply exploring.
Texts and Calls Can Affect Jason and Lucia's Relationship
Players are free to spend an entire day exploring as either Jason or Lucia without their partner, but the other character may eventually check in.
Jason and Lucia can call or text one another at any time, including asking the other character to meet them.
If one goes home for the night while the player remains outside, they may send a message asking whether everything is okay. Simply responding is enough to maintain the relationship, while repeatedly ignoring them can have consequences.
"All you need to do is respond, 'I'll see you later,' or, 'Ok, goodnight,' and that's good enough. If you don't bother to even respond, it may impact your relationship a bit."
Rockstar's intention is seemingly to make the relationship feel present even when the protagonists aren't physically together.
When they are together, small interactions include holding hands, kissing and even holding doors open for one another.
Jason and Lucia Can Train Together
Gyms allow both protagonists to increase their muscularity and strength, while overeating will cause them to gain weight.
The full interview reveals that visiting a gym together allows players to work on both protagonists simultaneously.
"You can go to the gym as Jason and Lucia together. You can go to the gym alone obviously, but if you go together, they'll both start working out, and you can get a 2-for-1 to manage their stats."
Eating also provides more than a cosmetic effect. During the demonstration, Lucia purchased some gum while hiding from police inside a convenience store, with Nelson explaining that food can provide a substantial health buff.
Your Personal Vehicle Carries All Purchased Weapons
GTA 6's personal vehicles will play an important role beyond simply getting around Leonida.
Players can store spare outfits in the trunk, allowing Jason or Lucia to change their appearance while away from their Safehouse. This can be particularly useful when escaping police, as an outfit identified during a crime can become compromised.
Nelson additionally confirmed that all weapons purchased by the player will remain available from their personal vehicle.
"You can call your personal vehicle at any time. All your weapons that you've purchased will always be available in the back of your personal vehicle."
The system appears similar in principle to Red Dead Redemption 2, where Arthur Morgan's horse carried weapons that weren't currently equipped.
Vice City's Streets Are Narrower and More Realistic
During a car theft, Nelson revealed another detail about Rockstar's recreation of Vice City.
The city's streets have been designed at a narrower and more realistic scale than previous GTA environments, while increased traffic density makes navigating them more difficult.
"The streets in this game are narrower and more realistic in terms of scale. Which, in addition to all the density of the traffic on the roads, makes driving slightly more challenging and requires a bit of skill."
The more realistic road network appears to complement GTA 6's more involved vehicle theft and police systems, where simply finding the fastest route away from a crime may not always be enough.
Damaging a Stolen Car Reduces Its Value
We've previously covered GTA 6's expanded vehicle theft mechanics, including slim-jims, key cloners, trackers, alarms and a phone scanner that can identify a vehicle's security features and value.
The new transcript provides another detail about selling stolen vehicles: their condition matters.
During a mission to steal an Infernus from a police impound lot, Nelson damaged the vehicle and explained that he could have it repaired before delivering it because the fence would pay less for a damaged car.
"I can actually repair this car here because the car fence will give you less money for it if it's damaged."
The stolen Infernus also contained an advanced tracker. Rather unusually, the tracker could locate the vehicle when travelling slowly, forcing Nelson to maintain speed to prevent police from identifying its location.
Some Cars Won't Be Stealable Until Later in the Game
Rockstar has introduced progression to GTA 6's car theft system, meaning some parked vehicles will initially be inaccessible.
Players acquire new tools as they progress through the story, allowing them to steal increasingly sophisticated vehicles.
"There are certain parked cars that are not accessible to you until you get a bit further along with the story and you acquire certain tools to get into them, but you can always carjack any driver you see."
The phone's vehicle scanner can reveal whether a car is locked, has an alarm or tracker, what equipment is required to steal it, how much a fence will pay for it and how much it costs to register the vehicle for personal use.
Escaping Police on Foot Can Be Better Than Driving
GTA 6's police system tracks considerably more information than previous games, including the player's appearance, clothing and vehicle.
The full demonstration shows how Rockstar expects players to actively use the environment to escape.
Nelson explained that reaching three Wanted stars in the city can make escaping by car particularly difficult unless the player has a very fast vehicle or sports bike.
"Your best option is usually to do this – get off the streets and get on foot into the alleys."
Changing clothes can remove heat, switching vehicles prevents police from continuing to recognise the previous car, and Jason and Lucia can even split up if police know they're looking for a couple.
Rockstar describes this as encouraging a "hit-and-run" approach to crime rather than requiring every encounter to escalate into a large shootout.
Your Partner Can Handle the Getaway
When Jason and Lucia are together, players can switch between them while travelling and allow the other protagonist to take control of the vehicle.
Nelson explained that Rockstar has deliberately made the partner capable behind the wheel, allowing the player to concentrate on fighting pursuing enemies.
"The partner can drive pretty well, so you can often have the partner drive to get you away from the cops, and you, as the player, can be shooting behind."
This isn't limited to scripted missions. The mechanic can be used during open-world robberies and encounters whenever Jason and Lucia are together.
Ryde Me Can Be Used for Fast Travel
GTA 6's Uber-style rideshare service is called Ryde Me, and Nelson directly confirmed that it can effectively function as a fast travel system.
Jason and Lucia used the service during IGN's demonstration while travelling to a pawn shop robbery.
"We can ride all the way with this passenger and chat with them. It's a good way to do fast travel."
The wording also suggests players can choose to remain in the vehicle and experience the complete journey rather than skipping directly to the destination.
A Quick Way to Set Map Waypoints
Another small control detail emerged while Nelson was navigating towards a fence.
Players can quickly create a waypoint without having to manually open the map.
"There's a quick way to set waypoints: holding down on the D-Pad."
Exactly how the destination is selected wasn't explained during the interview.
More Radio and TV Advertising Than Ever
GTA's fictional advertising has traditionally been a major part of Rockstar's satire, and GTA 6 apparently contains more of it than any previous game.
"There are more radio and in-game TV ads than ever before. A lot more."
The game's version of social media also includes Snapmatic. Jason and Lucia can follow accounts and browse posts but, fitting with the story of two criminals attempting to avoid attention, they won't upload posts themselves.
"No, because you're a couple on the run. You just lurk."
Rockstar Wants GTA 6's Satire to Feel Timeless
Nelson also discussed how Rockstar approaches satire after such a lengthy development cycle.
Rather than attempting to reference every contemporary meme or political controversy, the studio has deliberately focused on broader subjects that are less likely to feel outdated by the time the game launches.
"We have to be careful that what we're choosing to satirize is not going to feel dated in a weird way."
That approach even affects the way GTA 6's characters speak, with Rockstar avoiding excessive use of modern slang.
"Very specific political issues or memes will date fast. Even the way our characters speak, we think about it a lot so that they're not using extremely contemporary slang."
Nelson said Rockstar wants its characters to feel somewhat timeless despite Jason, Lucia and the game's wider cast belonging to a particular generation.
Rockstar Is Trying to Give Missions More Freedom
GTA 6's main missions will continue to include carefully controlled cinematic sequences, but Rockstar is making a conscious effort to give players additional freedom wherever possible.
Nelson provided two examples from missions shown during GTA 6's Extended Look.
The sequence where Jason and Lucia attempt to escape from a tower block features multiple possible routes out of the building.
Another mission begins with Jason shooting while Lucia drives. Once control switches and the player begins driving, the game provides an intended escape route but doesn't require players to follow it.
"There is an optimal route that you're told to get out, but if you don't follow it, you can still get out – the mission is essentially a police chase."
Rockstar's goal is for systems such as robberies and police pursuits to behave consistently regardless of whether they occur during a mission or naturally in the open world.
"Anything where a mission can become systemic and it's a wanted level or robbery system – we try to make it so that it doesn't feel inconsistent with how the game works in the open world."
The Open World Can Change Your Plans Naturally
Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of IGN's demonstration wasn't planned at all.
Nelson originally intended to take Jason and Lucia somewhere else when they passed a police impound lot containing a vehicle they had previously been asked to steal. Jason spontaneously pointed it out, causing Nelson to abandon his original plan and attempt the job instead.
Even Nelson hadn't previously heard the dialogue that triggered the encounter.
"That was truly emergent for me when we drove past that car park and Jason suggested we do that job – I hadn't actually heard that dialogue from him myself yet."
Nelson said the enormous size of GTA 6 means even developers working on the game can still encounter things they haven't previously seen.
"The game is so big, I don't know that there's anybody on the team that knows all of it."
He added that new dialogue was continuing to arrive in builds, contributing to an open world designed to produce more natural and unexpected encounters.
A "Very Big" Map That Rewards Exploration
Rockstar still isn't providing measurements for GTA 6's map, but Nelson unsurprisingly described it as "very big".
More importantly, he stressed that players who take the time to explore Leonida will be heavily rewarded.
"If you take a bit of time and explore, you will be rewarded – a lot. It's a big map, a very big map."
That philosophy can be seen throughout many of the systems discussed in the interview. Different salons and clothing stores contain location-specific items, wildlife can be studied, unexpected characters and encounters can be discovered, and Jason or Lucia may even suggest nearby opportunities while travelling through the world.
Rockstar's wider goal appears to be making the distinction between traditional missions and free-roam gameplay less obvious than in previous GTA games.
"We're trying as much as possible to make it feel like you are these characters, not only on missions and in the story, but in the open world as much as you want."
For Jason and Lucia in particular, that means most activities outside the main story still feed back into their situation: committing robberies and stealing cars earns the money they need, while spending time together strengthens their relationship.
IGN's full interview provides much more detail on many of the systems originally revealed in August, while also demonstrating just how much of GTA 6 appears designed around simply existing in and interacting with Rockstar's recreation of Leonida.