Just about three weeks left until GTA 6 launches. And Rockstar is now revealing more and more details. In an interview with EDGE magazine, Rob Nelson, Co-Head of Rockstar North, explains why the game world feels different from GTA 5: it runs deliberately slower.
Nelson states that Rockstar rebuilt Vice City after several research trips to Miami and initially tested it with the same time and pacing systems as in GTA 5. The result: “Everything felt too fast,” everything seemed too frantic. The higher the resolution, the less you can get away with old tricks.
What's Changing About the Game World's Pacing?
The day-night cycle is significantly extended. Sunsets and nights last longer, meaning time passes noticeably slower in the game world than in GTA 5. Pedestrians are also expected to react more realistically. Nelson gives the old example: In GTA 5, you could pull out a shotgun in front of people, and they would ignore you until you aimed. In GTA 6, that won't fly anymore.
The story will also have built-in friction. Instead of rushing from mission to mission, the report states you'll need money for the next job, for example – forced downtime that slows the pace.
How Will Vehicle Retrieval Work in GTA 6?
Magically summoning a car with the push of a button is no longer an option. If you want a vehicle, you'll pay a small fee via the “Scooter Bros” app. After a few seconds, someone will drive up with your car and then zoom away on the scooter they brought. Furthermore, while you can store a weapons arsenal in the trunk, you can't carry everything on your person simultaneously.
Additional details align with the previews: According to GameSpot, cops in GTA 6 can unleash dogs on you, and PCGH reports functioning public transport in Leonida. You can find more about the world's size in our report on the map, and more about the city's liveliness in our article on the 600,000 NPC animations.
What Does This Mean for You as a Player?
From our perspective, this is a bold statement. Rockstar is focusing on immersion instead of arcade pacing – which fits the level of detail shown in the trailers. At the same time, the question remains whether players who love GTA as a fast-paced sandbox of chaos will warm up to waiting times and fees. The leisurely pace in Red Dead Redemption 2 already divided the community. So, plan for a longer immersion rather than a frantic rush through the story.
Source: Kotaku, GameSpot, PCGH
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