10 GTA 6 Features Players Are Looking Forward to the Most

GTA 6 pre-orders are officially set to go live on June 25, so the anticipation for Rockstar’s long-awaited blockbuster is at an all-time high. More than a decade after GTA 5 first launched, fans are counting the days until they can finally secure their copy and get their hands on the studio’s most ambitious game yet.

Rockstar has already pulled back the curtain on Lonida, introduced our playable protagonists Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos, and shown a world packed with detail across trailers and around 70 screenshots. From Vice City’s next-generation makeover and the social-media-driven culture of Leonida to the incredible attention to detail in every trailer, Rockstar has given fans plenty to obsess over. And we’ll be getting more information in the coming weeks, too.

With that said, here are the 10 GTA 6 features that have players more excited than ever as pre-orders prepare to open next week on Thursday.

1. Open World Exploration

GTA 6 is set across the massive State of Leonida, a fictional take on Florida that stretches beyond Vice City’s neon-lit streets. Although Vice City seems to be the major metropolitan hub in the game, official screenshots and Rockstar’s website for the game have already confirmed a wide range of regions, including the tropical Leonida Keys, the swamplands of the Grassrivers, the industrial town of Ambrosia, the rundown coastal community of Port Gellhorn and the diverse wilderness surrounding Mount Kalaga.

It’s a much broader vision than previous versions of Vice City, giving players an entire state to discover rather than limiting the playground to a single urban area. Vice City itself has undergone a dramatic transformation compared to its 1980s self in GTA: Vice City. The city still captures that beachfront atmosphere, the glamour and the nightlife that made the 2002 game iconic. But, Rockstar has rebuilt it as a modern metropolis, packed with dense districts, towering skyscrapers and sprawling suburbs inspired by modern-day Miami. One of the franchise’s most beloved locations feels more alive than ever, as seen in the GTA 6 trailers.

Coming to the countryside areas, Rockstar promises that Leonida’s urban sprawl is only a part of the overall GTA 6 experience. The wetlands of the Grassrivers, the tropical waters of the Leonida Keys, and the mountainous wilderness of Mount Kalaga will add variety to the massive open world and encourage players to spend more time away from the city streets. We know that Rockstar’s open worlds have always rewarded curiosity, so GTA 6 will wholeheartedly continue that trend.

Many locations are obviously still being kept under wraps ahead of launch, especially secret landmarks, easter eggs and unexpected encounters, as they have been a staple of Grand Theft Auto since the San Andreas days. Remember the Mount Gordo Ghost or the cryptic mural atop Mount Chiliad in GTA 5? Rockstar might pull off some similar easter eggs in its next game, although it remains to be seen what they will be. One thing’s for sure: the players will be pleasantly surprised.

2. Advanced NPC Behavior

One of the biggest takeaways from the GTA 6 trailers is how massive and dense Leonida feels, compared to Los Santos in GTA 5. Streets, beaches, clubs and public spaces are filled to the brim with NPCs going about their day, creating a level of density never seen before in an open-world title. While Rockstar has not yet officially detailed the game’s AI systems, the trailers suggest that pedestrians will play a much larger role in making the world feel more believable and responsive.

The trailers show NPCs engaging in a wide range of activities, from twerking in front of the camera to posing for a picture at the corner of a street and dancing their hearts out at the NINE1NINE club, with Jason and Lucia following suit in the second GTA 6 trailer. One of the standout shots from the first trailer was at the beach, and the sheer number of NPCs present was astounding.

Speaking of social media, the internet culture appears to be deeply woven into Leonida’s world. Knowing Rockstar, it’s there to mimic modern society with NPCs livestreaming the chaos happening in the state. A few shots worth mentioning include a Karen-like figure cursing the camera, an official trying to get an alligator out of the pool, people twerking on top of a car and the rap duo Real Dimez making a quick appearance. This further proves that social media will play a bigger role in GTA 6 than in any other Rockstar title.

Crowd behavior also stands out as one of the most noticeable improvements in the GTA 6 trailers. Large groups gather at the NINE1NINE club or at the beach, and bystanders react to the action happening around them, as we see from the opening montage of the second trailer, which features Jason robbing a convenience store. According to leaks from GameRoll on X, the crowd will also react to Jason and Lucia if their weapons are exposed. As a result, both of them will try to conceal their weapons when they’re exposed outside.

3. Evolved Law Enforcement System

Police encounters have always been a core part of the GTA series, and GTA 6 looks set to push them even further. While Rockstar has not officially released a full breakdown of the wanted system, leaks suggest that a 6-Star Wanted System is set to make a comeback. The 6-Star Wanted System was featured in previous GTA games, such as GTA: San Andreas and GTA: Vice City. Apart from this, the trailer features police conducting arrests in first-person, chasing Jason and Lucia and having a much more engaging presence in Leonida.

From the 2022 leak, a witness-and-suspect description system was uncovered, which would overhaul the entire cat-and-mouse police system implemented in GTA 5. Rather than knowing Jason and Lucia’s location immediately, the police would gather information on them through eyewitness reports and vehicle descriptions. While this hasn’t been officially confirmed, if this system makes it into the final game, escaping the police will be 10x trickier than in GTA 5.

Several scenes in the trailers also show coordinated law enforcement activity, such as the first-person POV shot in the first trailer, suggesting that police behavior might be more strategic and situational this time around. Of course, nothing has been officially confirmed as of now, but Rockstar has always pushed the boundaries in innovative in-game mechanics, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if it does the same with GTA 6. It would also be a major improvement from GTA 5’s police system, which was basically a cat-and-mouse chase until the trio escaped and lowered their Wanted Level.

4. Next-Generation Visuals and Lighting

The first thing players notice fabout GTA 6 is its next-generation visuals and lighting. The game looks drop-dead gorgeous. Both the official trailers and Rockstar’s screenshots showcase a massive leap in graphical fidelity, with denser environments, improved lighting and ray tracing throughout Leonida. The streets were crowded, the beaches were busy, and the nightclubs were packed to the brim, and the surprising part is that the footage was captured on a base PlayStation 5, not even the Pro model.

Water, glass, vehicles, and skyscrapers all display noticeably improved reflections throughout the trailers. Vice City’s beachfront skyline looks particularly appealing, with the iconic Ocean View Hotel from GTA: Vice City making a quick appearance in the first trailer. Lighting and shadow quality have also received a significant upgrade. From the moment we saw Lucia under the crack of sunlight inside Leonida Penitentiary, we knew how big an upgrade this game would be over GTA 5. And the rest was, of course, history.

One of the most significant visual upgrades is the introduction of ray-traced global illumination. Put simply, lighting now behaves in a far more natural way throughout the world. Instead of relying on the flatter, more artificial look seen in GTA 5, light realistically bounces across environments, affecting everything from interiors and city streets to characters and vehicles.

Character rendering has also received a major upgrade. Hair, skin, clothing, sweat, and subtle physical details are rendered with impressive fidelity. Digital Foundry highlighted the game’s significantly improved hair technology, even drawing attention to the remarkably detailed arm hair on Jason’s character model. It might seem like a minor touch, but it’s a clear example of Rockstar’s commitment to pushing realism to new heights, with countless small details combining to create more lifelike and believable characters.

The biggest question is whether this game will run at 60 fps on both the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series consoles. And if it does, what level of fidelity will players sacrifice? Currently, the second trailer, which was captured on a base PlayStation 5, was locked at 30 fps, so if it doesn’t hit 60 fps on final release, we’d guess that’s a good trade-off for how gorgeous this game looks. It’s also worth noting that Rockstar’s optimization skills are impeccable, so never say never.

5. Enhanced Environmental Detail

Leonida’s Florida-inspired setting places water at the heart of the experience, and Rockstar’s trailers make that immediately apparent. From Vice City’s beaches to the waterways of the Leonida Keys, water is present throughout nearly every major region shown so far. The coastal atmosphere helps distinguish GTA 6 from previous entries, especially from GTA 5, which was mostly mountainous on the Blaine County side.

The official trailers showcase some of the most detailed water effects seen in the series. Sunlight reflects naturally across the ocean, waves move convincingly along shorelines, and boats interact with the surrounding water, adding realism to the environment. These visual improvements are especially noticeable during the numerous beach and boating scenes featured in Rockstar’s footage.

Rockstar has revealed a wide range of landscapes across Leonida, including tropical islands, wetlands like the Grassrivers, rivers, beaches, and dense urban districts present in Vice City itself. But players often forget that much of GTA 6’s visual leap comes from the small details. Crowded beaches, wildlife-filled waterways, busy marinas, and densely populated city streets all contribute to a world that feels lived in. Rather than relying on a single showcase feature like Los Santos, Rockstar appears focused on making every part of Leonida feel authentic.

6. Expanded Interior Spaces

GTA 5 had some memorable interiors, including stores, Ammu-Nation locations, safehouses, mission interiors, and Online properties. However, many players felt Los Santos had too many buildings that looked interesting from the outside but were unenterable. While the number of enterable buildings or interiors hasn’t been disclosed, GameRoll’s leaks suggest hundreds or even thousands, but of course, take this rumor with a grain of salt.

From the updated GTA 6 website, we can already see some detailed interior locations across Leonida. Stores appear throughout both trailers, and Jason also robs one of them in the second trailer’s opening montage. Both our playable protagonists are also shown inside several homes and apartments in official footage, offering a glimpse of the game’s residential locations. It remains to be seen whether players can rent homes, as they could in Red Dead Redemption 2’s towns like Valentine, Saint Denis, and Strawberry.

Beyond homes and stores, GTA 6’s trailers also feature a wide range of indoor settings, including the NINE1NINE club, a basketball court, more nightclubs, and other public venues. It’s worth noting that the full extent of interior accessibility remains unknown. But the official footage, especially the one posted when they announced the pre-order date, suggests indoor spaces could play a bigger role in the overall experience than they did in GTA 5 and even RDR 2.

7. Dual-Protagonist Storytelling

Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval are at the heart of GTA 6’s narrative. Rockstar is building the entire game around the dual protagonists and describes them as partners who find themselves in a criminal conspiracy across Leonida. The trailers place their relationship front and center, relying on loyalty and trust, as seen at the end of the first GTA 6 trailer. This opens new avenues for interesting gameplay changes and innovations.

Rockstar is no stranger to handling multiple protagonists at the same time. The studio did it efficiently with Michael, Franklin, and Trevor in GTA 5. But this is the first time a female, voiced character is headlining a mainline GTA game. Of course, the game will feature missions where we get to play as both simultaneously, like Deathwish. And if the rumors are true, the game might feature a relationship bar, similar to the honor bar in Red Dead Redemption 2, and unlock new endings based on Jason and Lucia’s relationship level.

However, this isn’t officially confirmed. For now, what we do know is that Rockstar is taking a more personal approach with Lucia and Jason than it did with GTA 5’s trio. The two, relying on each other in a Bonnie-and-Clyde-inspired narrative, further prove it. Scenes from the trailer show the pair living together, having quiet moments and supporting one another through robberies and car chases in Leonida.

Everything Rockstar has revealed so far for Jason and Lucia, from the promotional character art to official screenshots and trailers, points to a more character-driven story, which might join the ranks of Red Dead Redemption 2. Trust is present throughout their scenes in the trailer, so the emotional stakes are bound to be higher, especially after an easy score goes wrong, as confirmed by Rockstar Games on its official GTA 6 website.

8. GTA 6’s Diverse Vehicles

Much of the discussion surrounding GTA 6 has focused on its visuals, as we mentioned before, but Rockstar’s two official trailers suggest the game’s vehicle variety may be just as significant. Across the footage, Leonida’s roads and waterways are filled with an unusually broad mix of transportation, ranging from supercars and muscle cars in Vice City to pickup trucks, motorcycles, airboats, fishing vessels, and personal watercraft in the Grassrivers and Leonida Keys.

The contrast becomes particularly noticeable when moving between locations. Vice City is dominated by high-end sports cars, luxury SUVs, and dense urban traffic, reflecting the city’s modern, coastal setting. Meanwhile, sequences set in the Leonida Keys feature boats and jet skis rarely seen in previous GTA trailers. On the other hand, the Grassrivers wetlands showcase airboats and utility vehicles better suited to the uneven and uncertain terrain.

The second trailer places even greater emphasis on vehicles by keeping them in focus for longer stretches. Beyond the expected supercars, the footage highlights everyday sedans, work trucks, motorcycles, police cruisers, and commercial vehicles, many of which appear alongside one another in naturally busy environments. For a series built around stealing, driving, and customizing vehicles (looking at you, Los Santos Customs), GTA 6 is upping the ante with car diversity.

9. Modern Social Media Satire

If there’s one feature that immediately separates GTA 6 from previous entries, it’s Rockstar’s heavy focus on social media culture. Much of the first trailer unfolds through vertical smartphone videos, livestream-style clips, and user-generated content similar to TikTok, creating the impression that Leonida’s residents are constantly documenting their lives online.

Some of the trailer’s most memorable moments are presented as viral social media posts that one would see on Instagram or TikTok. Players see an alligator wandering into a convenience store, a woman standing on top of a moving car, dirt-bike riders performing stunts on busy roads, and a man watering his lawn while surrounded by chaos. These clips are framed like videos that would spread rapidly across social media.

The trailer also introduces characters who appear to thrive on online attention. Influencers like Boobie Ike and the rap duo Real Dimez, content creators seen at NINE1NINE with Jason and Lucia, and people chasing viral moments are featured throughout the footage. Combined with the constant stream of smartphone recordings, these scenes suggest Rockstar is satirizing the pursuit of internet fame in the same way previous GTA games mocked reality television and celebrity culture. GTA 5’s Fame or Shame comes to mind.

Rockstar appears to be using social media as a storytelling tool that helps define Leonida itself. Many of the trailer’s featured clips are accompanied by usernames, comments, reaction-style layouts, and social-media-inspired presentation. So, social media seems to be deeply woven into the world of GTA 6, and only time will tell whether it plays a vital role in the game’s narrative.

10. Rockstar’s Attention to Detail

GTA 6’s trailers have sparked endless debates about the map, Lucia, and Vice City, but some of the most impressive moments are easy to miss. The second trailer alone is packed with details that most developers wouldn’t even bother including. During the beach sequences, footprints are left behind in the sand as people walk by. In another scene, players can see the beer foam within the beer bottle in Jason’s hand. Small touches, sure, but they’re the kind of things players notice after the third or fourth rewatch.

The character animation is on another level as well. Hair moves naturally when Lucia is driving through Vice City, clothing wrinkles and shifts as people sit down or lean against objects, and background NPCs rarely stand around doing nothing. One shot features Jason exercising on the beach, with some NPCs appreciating his form while others follow their own workout routine.

Then there’s the world itself. Rockstar’s screenshots and trailers are filled with details that exist purely because they make Leonida feel more believable. Boats crowd the marinas in the Grassrivers, wildlife appears throughout the countryside near Mount Kalaga, and nearly every location has some background activity or another. The alligator wandering into a convenience store from the first GTA 6 trailer became a meme. Still, it’s also a perfect example of Rockstar using environmental storytelling to give the world personality.

That’s what stands out most about GTA 6 so far. The game’s little details are packed into every frame, which has fans pausing trailers, zooming into screenshots, and spotting new things months after Rockstar first revealed them. With the game’s official box art revealed, fans can finally analyze something other than trailers or screenshots.

Final Thoughts

After more than a decade of anticipation, GTA 6 is shaping up to be a colossal return to Vice City with all the features mentioned above. Fans are excited to dive into all that Leonida will offer while also playing through Jason and Lucia’s emotionally charged narrative. While features like the Online mode or map expansions haven’t been revealed, GTA 6’s marketing has officially begun, so expect to find out more in the coming weeks.

The trailers and the screenshots tell only a part of the story, and players won’t know how many of the in-game systems come together until they get their hands on the game on November 19. Even so, the conversation around GTA 6 is only beginning with the pre-orders going live next week for PlayStation 5 and PC. The PC dates haven’t been officially revealed yet, since Rockstar has the habit of releasing its games on consoles first, as seen with GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2.

With all the information revealed so far, there’s still a lot we don’t know. However, what we do know is that the countdown to gaming’s most anticipated releases is about to enter a new phase officially, starting from next week. Fingers crossed that we get a new trailer with the pre-orders as well.