Between suggestions about gameplay mechanics, open-world elements, and more, rumors would have you believe GTA 6 is set to revolutionize the industry in one more ways than one. Although some rumors are more believable than others, the chatter definitely has fans excited about potential features in the game. Here are a few rumored elements that could make or break GTA 6.
Age Verification Requirement
Following the new laws in the UK, age verification has taken the internet by storm. Applications like Twitter have already implemented these laws, and the likes of YouTube are rumored to be following suit.
Interestingly, the reliable Tez2 has suggested Rockstar is planning to implement something similar for GTA Online soon. Given his track record, this feature could potentially debut before GTA 6, with Rockstar testing the waters.
GTA Online has also historically been the biggest part of GTA 5, catapulting the game to nearly 300 million sales since 2013. What this means is that the implementation of this feature could determine how the average player perceives GTA 6, or at least its online component.
If age verification is implemented too aggressively and crucial features are locked behind it, the game could face backlash from the players. On the other hand, Rockstar being too loose with its implementation could result in scrutiny from major government authorities.
Whatever option the studio picks, there is no clear answer, and it will be interesting to see how Rockstar moves forward. Personally, I think a balanced approach would be the best to ensure GTA 6 succeeds much the same as its predecessor.
Evolving Map
This is another rumor that comes from a very reliable source. According to Tom Henderson’s sources, GTA 6 was set to feature an evolving world as early as 2021. This information was later corroborated by Jason Schreier, making it all the more believable.
The interesting part about this specific rumor is that we don’t know how GTA 6’s map will change over time. Rockstar has already experimented with this idea somewhat by offering a unique, snowy look for Los Santos during the holidays, but rumor has it that GTA 6 will take things to a new level.
Therefore, Rockstar could follow Fortnite’s blueprint for its map evolution. Over the years, Epic Games’ battle royale map has been constantly updated with new locations, themes, and points of interest, and something similar would do wonders for GTA 6.
The map could even change as part of an ever-evolving narrative for GTA Online, something I discussed in another article related to the GTA Online follow-up. Needless to say, how Rockstar executes this element could shape GTA 6’s long-term success and relevance.
Dynamic Weather And Water Physics
The legitimacy of this particular rumor is up for debate, but GTA 6 is expected to feature dynamic weather mechanics for an added sense of immersion in the open world.
If what is being said here is to be believed, Rockstar has invested millions of dollars in this part of the game. The Rage Engine’s water physics are being pushed to new heights, resulting in the implementation of dynamic events like storms and hurricanes.
Rumors even say that GTA 6 will add environmental damage as part of its storms and hurricanes. This level of dynamic weather is typically unheard of in games, so something even remotely close would be huge for the industry.
Roaring thunder and heavy rainfall aside, GTA has never done much more with its weather systems in the past. Staying true to the theme of pushing everything to new heights, GTA 6’s rumored weather systems could mark a new beginning for the IP.
The game might even be adding surfing as a playable activity, something that would actively change depending on the weather conditions. It’s clear, then, that a revolutionary weather system and water physics would make GTA 6 better than ever. However, a poor implementation could result in unfavorable performance at the cost of graphical fidelity and presentation.
Working Out And Fighting Styles
GTA 6’s latest trailer led to speculation about Rockstar potentially bringing back weight gain and loss from GTA San Andreas, in addition to working out.
This was something fans, myself included, enjoyed a lot in GTA San Andreas, experimenting with different builds for the character. It was always fun to see how neglecting CJ’s health could impact him negatively throughout the game, or how regularly working out would keep him in shape.
GTA 6 is expected to feature a similar system, delving further into the series’ more customization-oriented lineage. In particular, this system would appeal to fans of RPGs, who enjoy more than the typical outfit customization for characters.
Much like the weight gain and loss systems, different fighting styles are also expected to return from GTA San Andreas. It’s no secret that the series’ melee combat needs to make massive strides in GTA 6, so a greater focus on different combat abilities would do wonders for the game.
GTA San Andreas took inspiration from real-world fighting styles like Boxing and Muay Thai, but these systems were fairly limited at the time. In my opinion, GTA 6 should aim for a similar implementation but with significantly more depth for a melee system that completely shatters expectations and lasts the 10+ years GTA 6 is expected to be on the market for.
Ray Tracing Implementation
GTA 6 is expected to be Rockstar’s first title to launch with ray tracing, and analysis of the trailer suggests this technology will be mandatory this time.
Instead of a simple toggle, GTA 6 supposedly relies on ray tracing for its lighting and reflections at all times. This is somewhat of a risk since ray tracing has been known to cause significant performance issues at times, with consoles facing the brunt of the problems.
Between low resolutions and poor frame rates, a lot can go wrong in a game that leans heavily on this technology, especially with the PS5 and Xbox Series S|X using RDNA 2 hardware, which was never that great at ray tracing to begin with.
Should Rockstar fail to strike the perfect balance between visuals and performance, GTA 6 could turn out to be a disaster. It goes without saying, but nobody wants to see the game running at sub-30FPS like GTA 5 did on the PS3 and Xbox 360. This may have been acceptable in 2013, but expectations are astronomically higher today.
The inevitable PC port also needs to consider cheaper PCs that may not be the most capable at ray tracing since GTA 6 will practically appeal to every gamer out there. In my opinion, this is why leaning so heavily on ray tracing is a risky step from Rockstar that demands careful execution.
Of course, this is far from everything rumored to appear in Rockstar's upcoming title. The team is attempting to push most everything in the game to its limits, so there is a lot of curiosity about the title. What rumored feature do you hope to see most in GTA 6? Feel free to start a discussion in the comments below.