GamesRadar are the latest publication to see a demonstration of the current build of Grand Theft Auto 6, providing a host of new information about the title ahead of its launch on November 19, 2026.
Ahead of its launch, GamesRadar was invited to Rockstar’s Edinburgh game studios to watch Rockstar North’s co-studio head and head of development, Rob Nelson, play the current build of GTA 6 for 90 minutes for an exclusive feature in their magazine, Edge.
This very detailed piece provides a unique look at what Nelson showed GTA 6 is capable of, not focusing on the story and missions, but on what you can simply do when exploring Leonida. From showcasing how much detail is in the game to the updated systems in play, such as police pursuits and car thefts, here is a full recap of everything revealed in GamesRadar’s preview.
The Size of GTA 6 in Scale and Detail
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the article is not only the size of GTA 6, but also how detailed the environment is. The map will be about twice the size of GTA 5, but even more impressive is its density. Developers confirmed that even after years of exploring the different builds of the game, they are still finding new locations to explore, with each having its own unique details.
“Every back alley is as densely detailed and interesting as the others. You can go anywhere, any random location, and so many people have thought about that location.”
From fully explorable building interiors to narrow roads designed to make GTA 6 feel more like a believable world, the game appears to be taking immersion to another level. Jason and Lucia will also be able to interact with elements of these buildings. GamesRadar confirmed they saw Nelson entering a house as Jason, before he reacted to the smell of a run-down home with shit everywhere.
To make the game more realistic and give players the chance to fully appreciate the changing environments, it was also confirmed that the day-night cycle has been extended, with each day lasting longer in real time. This also ties into a new weather system, well beyond what we have seen before. Factors such as wind, humidity, fog, time of day and season all contribute beyond the standard sunny, rainy and overcast conditions we are used to seeing in open-world games.
The Scale of Detail for NPCs
The biggest new piece of information revealed was that around 600,000 animations have been created for NPCs across GTA 6. This is a staggering number, with a handful of these moments showcased throughout the article from the latest build. Examples range from a man letting his dog off its leash to chase Jason because he didn’t like how he looked at him, to an NPC who is under arrest getting one over on the police by stealing their shotgun.
NPCs will also have their own traits, which will determine how they react to you, rather than the generic fight-or-flight characteristics we have seen in previous games in the series. This could lead to some intervening to stop you from committing a crime, or affect how they react if you run into them.
The Evolution of Police Chases and Vehicle Theft
The trailers and extended look have already confirmed several major overhauls of key systems in GTA 6, but Rockstar showed more details on how some of these will work. GamesRadar highlights watching Nelson escape a failed robbery, with the option to switch between Jason and Lucia to take on different roles. They also demonstrated the lengths the police will go to stop you and how advanced their strategy is, from choosing when to use stingers to sending in police K9 units to carry on the pursuit if you take to foot.
They further highlighted the new Heat system used to escape from the police and what you can do to remove the different elements, from changing your clothes to dropping your weapons. Escaping will not simply involve flooring it away in a vehicle and hiding until the stars reduce.
The changes to how you steal vehicles have also already been noted elsewhere, including the greater level of difficulty required compared to previous games in the series, but GamesRadar was able to confirm further details, such as:
- Picking the wrong driver can lead to them fighting back, including with weapons.
- Newer, expensive cars may contain trackers.
- Any vehicle being stolen could lead to the owner reporting it to the police.
- The WAINK app lets you target and find vehicles wanted by criminal fences.
- When delivering stolen vehicles, you may need to lose the police, and payment will depend on the condition of the vehicle.
Trains and Buses Return Along with New Vehicle Systems
Further smaller details are also revealed in the piece, all of which are unique systems brought into the series to add further depth and realism. Previous Grand Theft Auto titles have offered limited public transport for the player to use, but this changes in GTA 6. Phil Hooker, head of development, confirmed to GamesRadar that the game will include fully working bus and train systems, which he has checked always turn up on time!
For any vehicles you can drive, they will all contain a fuel gauge and engine health, requiring you to keep tabs on how they are doing when driving around Leonida.
GTA 6 also introduces the Scooter Bros app to bring your chosen car to you, regardless of location. You will be able to store weapons in the boot of said car, meaning you can be fully loaded and ready to go at any point in seconds.
The Scale of the Development Team at Rockstar
One thing GamesRadar’s visit to Edinburgh makes clear is that the development team is unlike anything we have seen before. It is stated over and over again that the smallest areas within GTA 6 are handled by huge departments.
“One team works on brands and billboards, another group writes radio advertising, another one produces television shows, while pedestrian and mission writers feed in their own observations.”
Different teams have had complete ownership of specific systems, with thousands of people contributing to the game. As they put it, after 10 years of development, no single person can plausibly hold all of Leonida in their head.
The scale and ambition of GTA 6 are clear, and we will all get to finally play it on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
GamesRadar’s piece also includes new screenshots providing more insight into Leonida.
For more on GTA 6, check out our main GTA 6 Hub, the full GTA 6 Soundtrack list, and the list of confirmed Vehicles for the game.
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