GTA 5 and GTA Online Features That Shouldn't Return in GTA 6

Game ZXC

Grand Theft Auto 6

By Gozie Ibekwe

Published Jan 2, 2024

Highlights

GTA 6 has big shoes to fill after the immense success of GTA 5 and GTA Online, with the new installment having the potential to shake up the traditional approach of Grand Theft Auto.
Some mechanics from previous games, such as the repetitive phone feature and the pricing system, should be left behind in GTA 6 to improve the gameplay experience.
The lackluster character customization in GTA Online needs to be addressed in GTA 6, as players desire more customization options that reflect the current standards of the gaming industry.

Announcements of new installments in a popular mainline series can be polarizing whenever they occur, as some fans look forward with excitement to the continuation of their favorite franchises while others worry that a new title will do a disservice to their favorite franchise. However, Rockstar redefined the limits of video game hype with its Grand Theft Auto 6 reveal, a full decade and some change after GTA 5 shattered industry sales records, earning a whopping 800 million dollars upon release. Given the extensive commercial successes of GTA 5 and GTA Online, the latter of which is still going strong all these years later, GTA 6 has big shoes to fill come 2025. There are some big changes coming to GTA 6 that could shake up the Grand Theft Auto franchise, like Lucia, the female protagonist. However, there's also an argument for the upcoming installment to leave some of its predecessor's features in the past.

Lucia and her partner in a store robbery in GTA 6

One GTA San Andreas Feature Needs to Come Back in GTA 6

Despite its age, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas had one immersive feature that Rockstar games have since omitted, and GTA 6 should change that.

GTA 6 Needs to Go Back to the Drawing Board to Change Some Mechanics

While it's commonplace for franchises to keep core elements from previous games in new releases, the passage of time between GTA 5 and GTA 6's releases means some features will be outdated and shouldn't make the cut for the latest game.

GTA's Phones are Broken

For starters, a major gripe many GTA lovers have with GTA 5 and Online is the phone. Nobody likes having to answer the phone over and over again in reality, and gamers have the same sentiment towards the feature in GTA 5. Calls often disrupt player flow and have been described as little more than a nuisance, and their non-optional status has caused many grumbles. When considering the repetitive mechanics of buying properties and depositing money, the problem compounds even further. Making the phone feature a gameplay focus rubbed a lot of players the wrong way, and Rockstar could do its fan base a favor by turning the page on it in GTA 6.

GTA 6 Has To Take a Close Look at Items and Grinding

Although grinding may be a longtime aspect of gaming the pricing system in GTA 5 was, by all accounts, ludicrous. Previous games like GTA San Andreas were bearable in this regard, but buying properties in the most recent installment forced players to grind for hours or use cheats because of the exorbitant pricing. GTA Online also had the same issue with its paywalls to boost Shark Card sales, and while the need for in-game purchases is understood, GTA 5's pricing system needs a major rework.

Lackluster Character Customization

Much has changed in the gaming industry since GTA 5 and Online's rollouts, and there's a massive push for customization in the current landscape. GTA Online's clothing dynamics are starkly out of place with the times in this department, as gamers have complained about the inability to combine accessories for their characters. It's almost like Rockstar made an unspoken dress code, where players can't wear a watch with suits or party shirts, or even suit vests with a tie. These limitations extend to cars, as gamers can't change the colors of stripe liveries in GTA Online.

Overpowered NPC Shooting Mechanics

Few things rile up GTA Online players more than the Chuck Norris-esque overpowered AI bot shooting on display. Many controllers have met early demises during missions after NPCs manage to connect with perfect headshots while blind-firing from cover. GTA Online's AI has the disgruntled free pass of being old, but players won't be so forgiving if GTA 6 retains the same issues.