Grand Theft Auto 6’s Driving Mixes the “Weightiness” of GTA 4 and GTA 5’s “Accessibility”

Rockstar North's Rob Nelson notes that the team has had "much more control over tuning drivetrain, tyres, suspension, and steering."

Posted By | On 07th, Sep. 2026

Grand Theft Auto 6_Ultimate Edition (35)

With how much Grand Theft Auto 6 is changing or outright overhauling, including the actual act of stealing cars, the jury is still out on the actual game feel. Previews emerging the same day as the Extended Look were hands-off, and while it certainly looks visceral in the latest gameplay, there’s still so much to learn.

For example, the driving. After the heavy yet floaty controls of Grand Theft Auto 4, and the more palatable Grand Theft Auto 5, how is Rockstar approaching the same in Grand Theft Auto 6? Apparently combining the two, according to Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson.

When YouTuber TGG asked if they were “weighty,” he responded, “Only in the best way possible. The team has worked hard to maintain some of the best parts of the weightiness and feel of GTA 4, but has the accessibility of GTA 5. It has all been built up from scratch on this hardware, and they have much more control over tuning drivetrain, tyres, suspension, steering; all of that is getting applied to the physics model.”

Even without hands-on time, the revamped physics were pretty apparent in the Extended Look. When shooting out tyres, vehicles could end up toppling and rolling multiple times before stopping. In other circumstances, they would careen out of control. And even if that doesn’t say much about the actual driving, Rockstar has managed to capture a strong sense of speed – always essential for any game with driving.

With Grand Theft Auto 6 out on November 19th for Xbox Series X/S and PS5, there’s still plenty of time to learn more. Stay tuned for updates until then.


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