Rockstar Games products have long showcased incredible levels of detail that go above and beyond other games of their time. Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the greatest examples, with minute elements that seem almost inconsequential but play a part in building the incredible Wild West open world. Given that history, Grand Theft Auto 6 is sure to take things up a few more notches considering how long it has been since the developer's last major title, and the next-gen hardware it will release on.
GTA 6 had likely been in the works for years before development was confirmed in February 2022, but little is known about the title. Recent leaks of the game didn't show much regarding its visuals and mechanics considering they were based on an early build, but information that is out there reveals its Vice City setting. That setting may mean Rockstar's attention to detail can shine even more than it did in Red Dead Redemption 2.
GTA 6's Vice City Could Be Great for Immersive Game Design
Both for its time and now, Red Dead Redemption 2 displays a level of detail that never ceases to impress. This was expected given it was Rockstar's first full release since 2013's GTA 5, but that doesn't make it any less of a spectacle. Features like hair growth, characters and environments reacting to the weather, and believable animal AI all seem like they would be afterthoughts, yet Red Dead Redemption 2 seemed to give them the same amount of care as more impactful mechanics.
Yet the game's setting means this commitment to immersion came at a cost. Arthur Morgan is limited to crafting one item at a time, with each action having a separate animation. Likewise, collecting materials locks Arthur into animations for skinning animals or picking leaves. While it adds a nice level of immersion, it ultimately interrupts the game once the novelty wears off. It means the player either commits to that awkward gap in gameplay or skips crafting and cooking mechanics altogether, effectively playing at a disadvantage.
GTA 6's Vice City setting means there's a chance for improvements and new elements. It gives Rockstar the perfect chance to skip these sluggish gameplay elements without sacrificing its thorough level of detail. The slow realism details from Red Dead Redemption 2 are largely a result of its wild frontier setting, meanwhile GTA 6 being in a modern city means it can have things like the reactive NPCs, immersive player character mechanics, and an intricate world while leaving behind things like lengthy crafting and foraging.
An urban setting also means the game could have more interiors and stores to explore, leading to interactions with clerks who may remember the player's actions as they did in Red Dead Redemption 2. Similarly, a more densely populated game world could mean more unique and regular interactions with citizens, with even more diverse backgrounds and reactions than those in the Red Dead universe. It could all add up to a world that feels more lived in than any before.
There's even a chance to improve on Red Dead Redemption 2's wildlife and environmental details. The real-life Miami that Vice City is based upon lies near the swampy Everglades and the tropical islands of the Florida Keys. Were these to make an appearance in GTA 6, Rockstar can again include some of the more engaging side features like hunting and fishing minigames without tying them to time-consuming crafting. These opportunities, along with the power of next-generation consoles, mean GTA 6's attention to detail could make other Rockstar games pale in comparison.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is in development.