GTA 6: Rob Nelson Explains How Jason and Lucia Work as a Couple

IGN has published the full interview with Rob Nelson, Head of Development and Co-Studio Head at Rockstar North. The conversation took place in July, during which Nelson played GTA 6 live for 30 minutes. The focus: Jason and Lucia as a duo making their way through an open world.

How Does Jason and Lucia's Relationship Work?

According to Nelson, there is a dedicated relationship system. It operates separately from your character's reputation. The bond is nurtured by spending time together. This can include playing pool, mini-golf, or kayaking. Joint heists also count. All of these activities have a positive effect.

The story alone isn't enough for this. Nelson states that missions together are not sufficient to keep them united. You must invest time in the open world. Even text messages play a role: if you don't respond to a good night message, it can strain the relationship a bit.

You can switch between the two at any time. According to Nelson, the other character has their own daily routine and can be either in the safehouse or out and about.

Do You Even Have to Play a Romance in GTA 6?

No. Nelson emphasizes that Rockstar doesn't want to force that on anyone. He couldn't name any gameplay advantage. As partners in crime, both always work together and watch each other's backs, regardless of whether it's romantic or not. The narrative is designed so that both must stay together for the majority of the story.

What the relationship changes is the course of their story. Nelson doesn't want to reveal more to avoid spoilers.

What is the Criminal Profile?

Independent of this is the Criminal Profile. It records what kind of criminal you are and differs from the Honor system in Red Dead Redemption 2. Nelson says there is no right or wrong. However, consistently exercising more violence than necessary shifts the profile. This influences how the world reacts to you and how the story progresses.

Money is also said to matter more than in previous installments. There are phases where you have to earn money through car theft or heists to advance in the missions.

What Does This Mean for Players?

From our perspective, this is a clear change of course. In GTA 5, three characters largely led separate lives. Now, a couple is at the center, which you manage as a unit. Nelson talks about feeling like a trustee of the relationship. This is reminiscent of Arthur and the Honor mechanic from RDR2 but goes further because a second character is involved.

It remains to be seen how this feels after dozens of hours. There are no reliable details in the interview text available to us regarding the game's scope or additional protagonists. Official information can be found on the Rockstar page for GTA 6. The publisher is Take-Two.

More on the background: We reported how Rockstar's developers flew over Miami by helicopter for research. Furthermore, every NPC is said to have their own backstory.