New leak reveals intriguing details about GTA 6
Gameplay videos and an image of the new map are circulating online — allegedly showing a refueling system, weapon storage in vehicles, a karma meter, and RPG mechanics.
Less than two weeks before Rockstar is expected to provide an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI, it seems someone has managed to spoil the surprise for them again. Two gameplay videos about a minute long and an image of the game map have started circulating online, and according to reports, the publisher is already sending takedown requests based on copyright laws to those sharing them.
It is important to qualify: at this stage, there is no official confirmation that the materials are indeed authentic, and even if they are real, it is unclear when they were filmed and how many of the systems appearing in them have survived to the current version of the game. Nevertheless, at least some of the details appear consistent with official materials that Rockstar has already published.
Let's start with the map. Leonida, the fictional state where the game will take place and which is based on Florida, looks like a compressed and distorted version of the state's south. In the east is the game's big city, Rockstar's equivalent to Miami, while in the west and north, vast green areas appear. Scattered around are many islands, and in the south, one can identify a group of islands that very much resembles the Florida Keys. Various symbols also appear on the map — including a house, vehicles, faces covered in ski masks, and even a crocodile.
One of the videos focuses on Jason, one of the two protagonists of GTA VI, in a house by the water. On the balcony, one can see exercise equipment that resembles the training system from GTA: San Andreas. Jason jumps over the railing, passes a jet ski, picks up a basketball, and starts shooting hoops. After he scores on his first attempt, he receives an improvement to the 'Focus' stat — a possible hint that the new game will deepen elements more associated with role-playing games.
The user interface also provides some clues. In the top right corner, two amounts of money appear in a design reminiscent of previous games, and while Jason is holding the ball, a meter appears in the top left corner that seems related to 'Focus'. The house itself, by the way, looks identical to the structure that appears in an official GTA VI screenshot and is defined on the game's website as Jason's safehouse.
The second video is much less calm. Jason is seen on the way to a bridge leading to an area called The Keys, before he makes a U-turn and starts causing relatively moderate destruction. After colliding with a delivery truck, he gets into a fight with the driver and kills him using a wrench. Each hit depletes an energy meter, and the incident immediately earns Jason a two-star wanted level.
Here, another intriguing detail appears: a devil symbol with a minus sign appears on the screen and also next to Jason's portrait. If the interpretation is correct, GTA VI may include a karma or morality system reminiscent of the 'Honor' system from the Red Dead Redemption series.
When he returns to the vehicle, the options 'Loadout' and 'Storage' appear for a moment, which may indicate that it will be possible to switch weapons and store items inside the car. Immediately after entering the vehicle, its name and a fuel gauge appear — a small detail with big significance: it is possible that in GTA VI we will have to pay attention to the amount of fuel in the car for the first time, and not just the state of its bodywork. The mini-map, on the other hand, looks very familiar and resembles that of GTA V.
Behind the leak also hides a somewhat unusual story. The materials carry watermarks with addresses promising further details alongside a message about a 'fight for gamers' rights'. The person claiming to have leaked them explains that it is a protest against Rockstar's decision, according to him, to sell the physical edition of the game with a code only instead of a disc. The same party threatens to publish additional materials in protest against practices he defines as anti-consumer, including digital pre-orders and not maintaining access to single-player games.
In the meantime, it is worth treating all of this with a grain of salt. Rockstar has already dealt with one of the biggest leaks in the history of the gaming industry in 2022, and its servers were also hacked earlier this year. The new videos certainly look plausible, but until the company confirms the details — they remain an unverified glimpse.
Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to be released for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on November 19. Even before that, on August 27, an extended look at the game is expected to be published, which will first be broadcast on Netflix and later arrive on YouTube.
