This is every GTA 6 gameplay feature we can source, in one place, each with a grade. The short version: Rockstar itself has confirmed two playable leads with switching, an optional romance, radio on foot via the phone and a handful of named guns, cars and places. Almost everything else, from six wanted stars to fuel to hurricanes, comes from Rockstar developers speaking to the press, so we grade it reported.
Why not call those confirmed? Our rule is to grade by how a claim reached us. A Rockstar developer quoted in Edge or Game Informer is very likely right, but it’s still a press write-up, and preview builds change. See how we grade.
Characters and story systems
| Feature | Detail | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Two playable leads | Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos | confirmed |
| Character switching | Including mid-drive and mid-chase (Dazed) | confirmed |
| Switching is story-gated | ”Restricted depending on the progression of the story” (Nelson, Famitsu) | confirmed |
| Switch “at any time” | Red Bull’s claim; contradicts Nelson | reported |
| Play together or apart | Nelson to IGN; Dazed | confirmed |
| Optional romance | ”Yours to keep or yours to lose” (Nelson, Edge) | confirmed |
| Four-point closeness scale | Edge | reported |
| Relationship changes the ending | Red Bull says yes; others say Rockstar never said | reported |
| Criminal Profile | Per character, Professional to Irredeemable | reported |
| Four protagonists | Considered and rejected (Nelson, Famitsu) | confirmed |
| Body changes | Diet, exercise and sleep change physique (Dazed) | confirmed |
| Fridge restocking | Cut as too realistic | reported |
Details: character switching, Criminal Profile, the relationship.
Police and wanted system
| Feature | Detail | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Six wanted stars | Shown in the Extended Look | reported |
| Witness-based response | Police need a witness, alarm or car tracker | reported |
| Heat system | Tracks CCTV, clothes, suspects, weapons, vehicle | reported |
| Star styles | Solid, flashing, hollow, red | reported |
| Shake a description | Change clothes, haircut, mask, split up, ditch the car | reported |
| Pay ‘n’ Spray | Repairs and clears wanted level | reported |
| Bus trick | Police won’t search a bus unless they saw you board (Phil Hooker) | reported |
| Helicopters, dogs, perimeters, NOOSE | All referenced | reported |
| ”No wanted stars” | Fan-site claim, contradicted by footage | debunked |
Details: wanted system and heat.
Weapons and combat
| Feature | Detail | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Girardi ES9, Klose K17, Hawk & Little Morgan | Named on edition pages | confirmed |
| Duke 556 rifle | Seen in the Extended Look | reported |
| Loadout replaces the wheel | Two handguns + two long guns; rest in vehicle | reported |
| Auto-aim off by default | reported | |
| Focus slow motion | Highlights weak points | reported |
| Non-lethal disarms | Vitals targeting | reported |
| Heavier recoil and weight | reported |
Details: weapons.
Vehicles
| Feature | Detail | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Seven named vehicles | Cheetah, Stanier, Ganado, Enduro, Crest Kayak, Squalo, Dominator Buggy | confirmed |
| Security tiers and theft tools | Hot-wire, key cloner, lock pick, smash, QTE | reported |
| Trackers and registration | Trackers alert police; register for a fee | reported |
| Fuel and engine health | Hold to refuel, about 10 seconds | reported |
| Trunk storage | Weapons, outfits, people | reported |
| Multiple cars and garages | Per character | reported |
| Circuit racing | New to the series | reported |
| E-scooters, Scooter Bros delivery | reported | |
| Official vehicle count | None given | confirmed |
Details: vehicles.
Money and phone
| Feature | Detail | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Bank, cash and loot | BuckMe app for the bank | reported |
| Cash lost on Wasted / Busted | Use ATMs | reported |
| Fences | Specialize; unlock through the story | reported |
| Rob almost any shop | Plus armored vans; safes by code or explosive | reported |
| Minimum cash for some story beats | reported | |
| Apps | Snapmatic, BuckMe, Waink, RydeMe, Scooter Bros | reported |
| No public posting | Fugitives can only DM photos | reported |
| Radio and podcasts on foot | Via the phone, a series first | confirmed |
| LifeInvader, Bleeter | Unconfirmed | rumour |
Details: money and fences, phone and social media, radio stations.
World
| Feature | Detail | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Six official regions | Vice City, Keys, Grassrivers, Port Gellhorn, Ambrosia, Mount Kalaga | confirmed |
| Map about 2x GTA 5, 3x RDR2 | Rockstar devs via press | reported |
| No official km² figure | confirmed | |
| Map unlocks gradually | Nelson, via Red Bull | reported |
| ”Order of magnitude more interiors” | Garbut, Edge | reported |
| 170+ animal species, three tiers | Game Informer | reported |
| Tropical storms and hurricanes | Game Informer | reported |
| Longer day-night cycle | Garbut, Edge | reported |
| Scuba diving | Shown in the Extended Look | reported |
| Floods, surfing physics | Unconfirmed | rumour |
Details: map size, interiors, wildlife, weather.
Activities
| Feature | Grade |
|---|---|
| Fishing, hunting, scuba, kayaking, jet skis | reported |
| Skydiving, base-jumping | reported |
| Basketball, mini-golf, pool, backyard wrestling, shooting ranges | reported |
| Gyms, barbers, salons, tattoo parlors, zoo | reported |
| Pet (or scold) dogs | reported |
| About 80 hours with optional content | reported |
Details: activities and side content.
What Rockstar hasn’t confirmed
- GTA Online at launch. Rockstar calls GTA 6 “a single-player experience”; see GTA Online status.
- Property buying. Garages are reported; buying homes or businesses isn’t.
- Hurricane effects. Frequency and gameplay impact weren’t disclosed.
- The full weapon and vehicle lists.
We’ll re-grade this table after launch on Nov 19. For first-day planning, see tips before you start. The section hub is gameplay.