Highlights

  • Lucia, the first female protagonist in the Grand Theft Auto series, is shown to have a criminal past and wears an ankle monitor, hinting at the potential impact on gameplay.
  • Lucia's ankle monitor could be used as a tool to restrict player access to the game's map, gradually revealing more areas as the story progresses.
  • The ankle monitor could create a sense of confinement for both Lucia and players, with its removal signaling a moment of relief and freedom in the game.

With its first trailer finally out, fan speculation has reached an all-time high for Grand Theft Auto 6. Though its first trailer came in at just a minute and a half, it revealed quite a surprising amount about Grand Theft Auto 6's main characters, in particular, the series' first substantial female protagonist, Lucia. During the trailer, fans are shown that Lucia is already dealing with prison time for some unknown earlier crime, and though she appears to be on probation, it won't take long before she's thrust back into a life of crime.

This general archetype is nothing too new for the Grand Theft Auto series, with the vast majority of its playable protagonists having served time at one point or another in their life prior to their game's opening. But while characters like Niko Bellic, Trevor, and Michael have all served time long before their respective games begin, Grand Theft Auto 6 could potentially have Lucia's prison term directly affect her gameplay, because the character seemingly wears an ankle monitor.

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How Lucia's Ankle Monitor Could Affect Grand Theft Auto 6's Gameplay

Lucia's Ankle Monitor Explained

Right at the start of Grand Theft Auto 6's reveal trailer, fans see Lucia for the first time. When Lucia is first revealed to fans in the trailer, she's behind bars, having a meeting with an authority figure who asks why she's there, to which Lucia replies "Bad luck, I guess." Though it's unconfirmed, it seems likely that this cutscene takes place right at the start of Grand Theft Auto 6's story, as Rockstar probably wouldn't want to give away any story spoilers in its very first trailer.

So, it seems likely that by the start of Grand Theft Auto 6's story, Lucia has just left prison, likely on probation. This theory is backed up by Grand Theft Auto 6's main piece of promotional art, which shows the game's two protagonists front and center, with Lucia clearly wearing an ankle monitor on her right leg. While this could just be a brief part of GTA 6's story, it could end up playing a big role in GTA 6's gameplay.

Lucia's Ankle Monitor Could Define GTA 6's Early Game

The biggest theory floating around right now is that Lucia's ankle monitor will be used as a sort of developer tool to restrict the player's access to Grand Theft Auto 6's map. With an ankle monitor on, Lucia will be forced to stay within specified boundaries, and Rockstar could use this as a clever way to gradually reveal more of the map to players during the course of the game. This ankle monitor could also be used as a way to discourage players from going off the rails with the game's sandbox straight away, with it potentially ending police chases before they even begin.

While these gameplay effects could make Grand Theft Auto 6's first few hours feel restrictive, if Rockstar is careful, it can tie that in closely with the narrative of the game itself. Much like Lucia, players will feel trapped by the ankle monitor, so when she inevitably gets it removed - either by lawful means or otherwise - players can share a sense of relief and freedom with Lucia.