It’s been a whirlwind trying to sift through our thoughts on everything Game Informer’s cover story and other sources have revealed about GTA 6, with interviews from Rockstar highlighting so many new ways the upcoming flagship title could change how we look at and interact with open worlds.
Much of that new information could help you decide whether that hefty price tag is worth it. Also, this piece is simply stating known information; we explain the decisions, opportunities, or complications those features could create. So let’s start with everything new we’ve learned about 2026’s biggest release.
1. Hurricanes Lend Leonidas a Layer of Unpredictability
Hurricanes and tropical storms are now a thing in Leonidas, and we’re expecting them to come with gameplay implications that could affect familiar routes, or perhaps change familiar routines or encounters. That it could all unfold dynamically is another exciting possibility, which could happen if there’s enough integration within the game’s weather systems.
We’re already dreaming of a standard mission turning into a fight for survival if Jason or Lucia get caught in severe weather, and the potential effects it could have on driving, the world, and perhaps even the outcomes of missions.
2. Weather Changes With A Lasting Impact
gta 6 new screenshot
Of course, it’s not all about gloomy forecasts in this one, and those storm clouds are eventually going to part ways and let the sun shine over the lands they’ve just battered. You’re apparently going to be able to see the effects of the weather on the world around you.
Imagine travelling a long distance to find the sun lighting up wet surfaces that let you know that you just missed a bit of rain, or perhaps worse weather. It’s a detail that could make the world that much more immersive, and if the lighting and reflections can make good use of it, it might even allow us to make our peace with the 30 fps target on PS5.
3. Wind Is Now Part Of The Simulation
Breezes and updrafts being able to react naturally to buildings is going to be a great touch. We’re thinking about how that immediately creates the scope for interactions with vegetation, water, and perhaps even debris if the wind gets strong enough.
There’s always the possibility of it being a factor during gameplay, giving exploration a new layer of immersion that future additions to the open world genre must then look to match. Let’s see where the wind takes us in Leondias first, though.
4. Usable Interiors
Rockstar has spoken of a substantial expansion of interiors this time around, and while that’s an obvious plus to quality, we’re also interested in how that could impact gameplay. It could immediately make a case for going between places on foot, looking for ways to make connections between previously visited areas while new opportunities present themselves, hidden away from Leonidas’s busy streets.
Finding accessible areas tucked away in buildings is definitely going to add to the scope of what you can get up to in GTA 6, and is an addition we think comes with potentially intriguing applications.
5. More Than Scenery In The Countryside
With more than 170 animal species for you to encounter in Leonidas, with distinctions between native and invasive ones, it’s easy to see a connection between the weather and potentially different ecosystems that let them thrive while lending a distinct identity to rural areas that act as an incentive to visit them.
It’s also a great reason to go off the beaten track, especially if there are rewards involved if you’re able to find exotic ones. Either way, it’s nice to see the game encourage going off paved roads from time to time, although just how much continues to be a mystery.
6. Rare And Legendary Fauna To Find
We’re enthusiastic about the variety of Leonidas’ animal life since some animals are trackable and are even classified as Rare, Discoverable, and Legendary.
What that means from a gameplay perspective remains under wraps for now, but it’s not hard to imagine exploration-focused forays into Leonidas and its surroundings that are centered around their discovery. There could be entire quest chains around them, for all we know, with all the potential for further discoveries that games of this nature often bring.
7. Underwater Exploration Has Its Own Wildlife
We’ve heard tell of sharks, whales, rays, turtles, and jellyfish, each coming with distinct movements and behaviour to make even below the surface a viable place to indulge your curiosity, and perhaps snap a few pictures if you can manage it.
Scuba diving could then become an activity that comes with its own unique vibe and set of rewards, which could be of use in other areas of the game. It’s a great touch that certainly makes each explorable aspect of the world worth exploring, and the fact that wildlife is a big part of it immediately makes that world feel lived in by more than just human NPCs.
8. Demolition Derbies
We’re kind of tired of the tried-and-tested racing tournament in open worlds, or missions where you’re just speeding along from point A to point B with perhaps a hint of variety in terms of differing objectives. We’re glad, then, that Leonidas is bringing Demolition Derbies, where survival is more important than getting to a finish line.
It’s a different kind of challenge, for starters, and we’re expecting it to bring vehicles built for that very purpose, with mechanics and handling that could vary from street cars. That’s a great way to experiment with collisions, and perhaps a bit of environmental destruction too if you want to see what the game can do under pressure.
9. Motocross And Mountain Biking
Those derbies aren’t the only alternative to racing, and getting to do them could mean that the terrain itself becomes a part of the journey instead of the road just being something you need to keep your wheels on at all times.
Switching to a bike would mean paying attention to gradients, trails, and the land around you in a way that a car simply wouldn’t facilitate. The obvious influence on organic exploration aside, this is also a great way to bring in other ways to enjoy the activity as you keep engaging with it, although what those could be is currently in the realm of speculation at this point.
10. Free Roaming For Leisure
This has always been a part of the GTA franchise’s draw, and having activities like billiards, mini golf, kayaking, airboating, and base jumping means there are so many options for you to kick back and allow Jason and Lucia to indulge in some much-needed rest and relaxation.
That’s going to be a worthwhile break considering how the glimpse of the main story we got involved a lot of stressful negotiating, shooting, and, of course, escaping, the stress of which is sure to build up. It’s nice to know we have options to let loose, and that our new protagonists aren’t all about work with no play.
11. Your Choices Could Be A Reason To Return
You’re probably going to tear through everything this one has to offer quite quickly if you’re as excited to play it as we are, but the good news is that there are consequences to your choices, both wide and small, that could make repeat playthroughs a great way to wring more out of the game once you roll the credits on it.
That’s definitely a plus point when you consider the price on this one, and having that replayability in a world that’s seemingly built to be as unpredictable as it can means there’s a potentially new set of adventures waiting for those of you who choose to dive back in as soon as you’re done with a playthrough.
12. The Vehicle Scanner
The knowledge of the WAiNK system supplying information on security, registration cost, and resale value of vehicles is interesting to us mainly since we’re the type who like to pick up our rides on the go instead of relying on one that we parked a distance away.
Of course, Jason and Lucia’s legal troubles are an obstacle to that approach, and we’re expecting vehicle theft to be a deliberate choice that you’re going to have to make, calculating the risks and rewards of boosting specific rides and deciding on keeping them once they’ve served their purpose.
13. No One’s Safe From Rush Hour Traffic
Leonidas is a busy place, and Jason and Lucia aren’t the only ones with things to do in the city. That means choosing to get somewhere at the wrong time would mean being forced to account for traffic-related delays.
A familiar route you’re depending on could become your biggest bottleneck if you’re not careful, and it’s nice to know that the city thrives alongside you as you make your way across it. It could become something to think about if you’re looking at potential escape routes, which is always nice since it adds a layer of strategy to the gameplay loop if the dice happen to fall that way.
14. You Can’t Always Count On Your Car Being There
Jason and Lucia have their car stolen during a bridge-jumping encounter, and it’s a great showcase of how optional or dynamic encounters can change the flow of your moment-to-moment gameplay.
We’re sure this doesn’t mean you can’t ever leave your vehicles unattended, but it’s an interesting wrinkle of unpredictability to Leonidas’s that could translate to some very interesting gameplay beats the more you explore the city.
15. It’s More Intentional With Weapons
Limited weapon carrying capacities for Jason, Lucia, and their vehicle means you’re going to have to choose loadouts and commit to specific weapons before you leave your car, and we’re expecting some sort of inventory management system to be in play.
It could mean preparation and adaptability in the heat of the moment could be two sides of intense firefights where you’re looking to make the most of your own weapons and perhaps trying to turn your enemy’s firepower on them at the same time.
And there you have it. That’s a lot of new information to take in, and we’re sure there’s going to be more coming along in the few weeks that are left before our chapter in Leonidas gets off to a flying start. We hope to see you there, and that we’re going to be having many more of these conversations about an open world that looks like one we’re going to regret leaving every time we log off.
