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The cat’s out of the bag. Rockstar Games will finally release a Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer in December. Given the game has been in development for almost a decade, it certainly feels like the right time. How will GTA 6 live up to the considerable hype? That’s the million-dollar question. Well, it might technically be a two-billion-dollar question if rumors regarding the title’s budget are to be believed.
Since GTA6 was the victim of one of the video game industry’s biggest leaks, some fans have “known” some of what to expect from the title for quite some time. The internet is filled with rumors gleaned from the spilled info, but the dark secret of the leak is that it only included clips from early in the game’s development. A lot could have changed between now and when the footage first entered Rockstar’s servers, and there is still so much we don’t know about the game in the first place. With all of that in mind, here are some of the things we’re hoping to see in GTA 6‘s reveal trailer (or when we finally get to play the game).
Expanded Co-op Options
One of the biggest takeaways from the leaks was the continuation of a precedent set by Grand Theft Auto 5: multiple playable protagonists. According to those leaks, players will be able to play as two characters (Lucia and Jason) who have a Bonnie and Clyde-like relationship. Assuming that is still true, players will probably be able to swap between them on the fly. But why stop there?
Grand Theft Auto Online demonstrated that completing missions is much more satisfying when you do it with a team of human allies instead of AI ones. While this online component has sadly devolved into a hive of cheaters and hackers, it would be undeniably amazing if Rockstar built off it to let players team up with friends for co-op story missions. Some of GTA5’s coolest missions involved all three protagonists working as a team, yet the game didn’t include a proper cooperative multiplayer component. GTA6 could raise the bar for such missions.
Of course, to implement this, Rockstar would also require a stronger anti-cheat system due to GTAO’s hacking problem. Still, it would be well worth it. But again, why stop there? GTA6’s hypothetical co-op missions could (if not should) utilize crossplay since it’s downright expected these days and because not every group of friends share the same platform.
A Bigger, Better World
The GTA games are generally lauded for their large worlds full of NPCs and little touches. Of course, the open-world genre has made quite a few important strides since GTA 5, some of which were implemented by Rockstar’s own Red Dead Redemption 2. It would be a shame if GTA 6 didn’t try to keep its crown.
It pretty much goes without saying that GTA 6’s world (which may or may not take place in Vice City) should be bigger and better than prior GTA games. It would be an excellent way to show off advances in technology, but there’s more to a bigger world than just size. For instance, the game could do without those impassable mountains that inflate the title’s square footage without allowing for proper exploration.
Moreover, while more recent GTA games have boasted large worlds, their relative lack of explorable interiors has remained a common criticism. Many players want to enter more than just the occasional apartment and store, and we can’t help but agree. This not-so-small addition would help make the game’s world feel more alive. GTA6 could use museums (maybe even have a heist mission in one) or restaurants where players can eat different kinds of food. And if the rumors are true that GTA6 will let players explore more than one map, an explorable airport is a must.
Mo’ Side Activities, Mo’ Money
Open-world games need side activities to help break up the continuous missions and traveling. While GTA5 offered plenty of distractions, many gamers felt it was slightly lacking in that department. Regardless of where you stand on that issue, you probably will agree that GTA6 should probably aspire to feature more.
Given the power of modern SSDs, cramming GTA6 full of more involved side activities is a no-brainer. Yes, it would balloon the game’s file size, but many gamers are clamoring for sports and other distractions that could help make the world feel alive (and also help the main characters earn some money on the side). Quite a few fans also miss seemingly simple things like bowling, pool, and darts.
GTA 6 has the chance to offer so much more than that, though. For instance, while Grand Theft Auto: Vice City introduced audiences to the titular Vice City, the PSP prequel, Vice City Stories, gave players the chance to become the crime kingpin of their dreams with Empire Building. Players could purchase and take over buildings to receive revenue and assert their gang’s dominance over the city. It was Vice City Stories’ calling card, but it never really made the transition to the console entries.
Imagine a GTA6 where players can acquire properties, turn them into portfolio assets, and rake in the cash. Now imagine that system being expanded upon to create a world where gangs are constantly fighting over and exchanging turf. Locations that used to be safe could turn into hotbeds of hostility, or vice versa. And if you don’t spend the time and money on protecting your assets, rival gangs will grab them, robbing you of revenue and safety. We’ve seen lesser versions of similar systems before, but who wouldn’t love playing in a world with that kind of dynamic gameplay?
An Extra Dose of Police Realism
The GTA and RDR franchises have some of the most realistic and advanced NPCs in video games. Sure, they have nothing on real people, but when was the last time you played a game where an NPC was smart enough to realize you have been following them? Of course, there is always room for improvement.
No GTA NPC could use a boost quite like the series’ police. They’re not braindead, but they are far from advanced. All you have to do is stand five feet away from one, and they go crazy on you. They could do without this annoying quirk in GTA6, but they also shouldn’t be harmless. GTA 6 could be the best GTA entry ever if Rockstar made its cops intelligent enough to discern between someone who is just standing around and someone trying to shoot them. Perhaps Rockstar could even make its cops more vigilant in searching for players who try to run but give up when they lose sight for several seconds. Intelligent policemen who systematically search and don’t lack object permanence would be a great way to provide extra difficulty.
At the very least, Rockstar could bring back the sixth star in wanted levels. In earlier GTA games, acquiring that sixth star would summon military troops and tanks. These were nearly impossible to truly beat, but it was a gloriously ludicrous spectacle that deserves to return.
Many players have also noted that they believe GTA’s cops need to be a little more…morally diverse. In modern GTA games, cops shoot to kill. Picture a GTA6 where some cops actually tried to arrest you. Alternatively, what if some cops would investigate certain crimes while others didn’t care? The implementation of potentially crooked cops would help diversify the kinds of threats players would face. Plus, this design choice would be a great callback to the best villain in GTA history: Officer Frank Tenpenny.
The Return of Familiar Faces
While each GTA game features a self-enclosed story, they all take place in the same world. Not only should GTA 6 continue that tradition, but it should embrace it in ways that we’ve only seen glimpses of in previous GTA games.
Assuming GTA 6 takes place in Vice City, the developers have an absolute gold mine of callback opportunity on their hands. Since Tommy Vercetti introduced audiences to Vice City, it would almost be a requirement to bring him and/or his right-hand man (Ken Rosenberg) back. Granted, they would have to find a new voice actor for Tommy given Ray Liotta’s passing, but even a supporting role from an older version of the character could be impactful.
But why stop there? The place is a tourist resort town for the rich, so why not bring in some other prior GTA characters? Many players would probably love bumping into Niko Bellic or Michael De Santa on the beach. Heck, Rockstar could even add some solid links between the GTA and RDR franchises with some distant relatives of Rockstar’s old west simulator NPCs. Maybe someone could be carrying on the Marsten bloodline (or, better yet, the protagonists are part of it), or perhaps the Strange Man could pop up once again.
More Character Customization Options
As technology improved, GTA games allowed for more and more character customization options. These primarily take the form of clothes, but the franchise has explored more advanced character creation systems in the past that it strangely never really returned to.
When it comes to character customization options, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was probably the most ambitious entry in the franchise. The game introduced sim elements that let players alter more than just the protagonist’s wardrobe. In that game, CJ’s weight would change based on his diet and activities. If players didn’t maintain CJ’s overall health, his stamina and other physical attributes would take a hit.
Moreover, leveling up certain stats in that game would unlock additional skills (such as dual-wielding pistols and new fighting styles). Recent GTA games have lacked this level of customization and upkeep, yet RDR 2 brought some of those ideas back. GTA 6 would be an excellent reintroduction to these systems. Moreover, the game could utilize some ideas implemented in RDR 2, such as dynamic hair growth that lengthens in real-time. Oh, and GTA 6 could definitely stand to feature more cosmetic options too, since those are always popular.
Customize More Than Just Characters
This idea is slightly predicated on a previous item on the wish list. However, it feels significant enough to warrant its own discussion.
If we work under the assumption that GTA 6 will feature more cosmetic customization options (which it should), it would be a no-brainer that it will also support customization options that impact numerous other aspects of the experience. For instance, given how prevalent guns are in GTA, the ability to customize weapons would be at the top of most players’ wishlists. While GTA 5 has weapon attachments and skins, GTA 6’s upgrades would expand on that by ideally adding more variety and categories (such as grips and stocks). The same logic should also apply to vehicles in GTA 6: just add more options to the existing system. And while Rockstar is at it, maybe the studio could bring back old weapons and cars, too. Bring back the katana and short-winged Dodo!
Let’s go even further than that by entering hypothetical territory. Let’s assume that GTA 6 will include an empire-building system, possibly with buildings you can enter and explore. If that is indeed the case, then customization systems would definitely need to be implemented so players can personalize their property, inside and out. Said features could include the kinds of furniture and decorations that greet players and guests when they enter, the outer wall material and colors, and even possibly billboard players see as they drive across the city (you can’t make a front look like a legitimate business unless you advertise like one). These additions could go a long way toward making players feel like they are having an impact on their own game worlds, and it would be a great way to encourage multiplayer. Want to convince players to explore your personal Vice City? Add a way to make it customize it.
Truly Crazy Single-Player DLC
DLC is essentially a tradition for video games these days (especially open-world titles such as GTA). While Rockstar has produced plenty of DLC for prior GTA titles, GTA 5 was the odd man out, with all the expansions going towards GTA Online. However, no single piece or even collection of GTA DLC has surpassed Rockstar’s best expansion: Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare. So why not follow that blueprint?
Undead Nightmare is, as its name suggests, RDR but with zombies. Players get to experience a new story campaign, participate in new missions, and wield new weapons, all with an apocalyptic backdrop. The result was nothing short of an amazing experience that epitomized Rockstar’s ability to balance the serious with the silly. Sure, zombies are basically boring in the current gaming landscape, but imagine a GTA 6 DLC that channels the same ludicrous concept and implants it into the heart of an open-world game. Could be aliens, cryptids, or angry birds. Doesn’t matter so long as the developers are given full reign to go full ham.
So do you want to see in GTA 6? Let us know in the comments below!
The post GTA 6 Wishlist: Features, Changes, and Improvements We’d Like to See appeared first on Den of Geek.
