Grand Theft Auto 6is coming over a decade afterGTA 5released, a lengthy cycle that gives Rockstar plenty of time to see what did well and what didn’t meet the mark. Meeting the high level of anticipation for the sequel is a difficult task, but learning from the good and bad ofGTA 5is one of the best ways for the next game to excel.
The company likelylearned big lessons fromRed Dead Redemption 2,butGTA 6could also stand to learn fromGTA 5. There are plenty of things Rockstar did well in the franchise’s most recent entry, but over a decade later, others could stand to see some improvement in the next game.
10Strong Single-Player Experience
Don’t Spend All The Time on Multiplayer
Grand Theft Auto 5’s enduring popularity comes from both its online and single-player gameplay. However, the single-player gameplay came way before online and was praised heavily. Rockstar shouldfocus its energy on the single-player gameplay ofGrand Theft Auto 6, as this is what remains a core draw for many players, despite the rise of online multiplayer modes.
Will the long wait for Grand Theft Auto 6 be worth it?
After finally getting the first trailer for the game in December 2023, a recent leak seemingly indicated thatGrand Theft Auto VIwill finally be releasing in October 2025, lining up with Rockstar’s initial reporting that they would release the game in late 2025. While gamers wait to see if this news proves to be true, the question is also whether the wait for its arrival will ultimately be worth it, given it’ll be 12 years sinceGrand Theft Auto Vreleased when the sequel arrives. Though this time gap gives me some reservations, particularly as it seemed Rockstar were more focused on capitalizing onOnline’s success, the shift to a female protagonist and promise of a bigger map gives me some hope.
Rockstar focused on the single-player gameplay in the only trailer shown so far, a promising indication that the company’s priorities haven’t changed. The single-player experience is whereGTAshines as a franchise, and Rockstar can’t let that slip.Arobust single-player mode will only attract more playersand build a strong foundation for any other expansions and DLC the game may have. It is also a very important gateway and tease for the online mode.
9Refine The Police AI More
Make Them Act Like Real Police Officers
The police inGrand Theft Auto 5are fun because they’re out of control and destroy a lot of city property to catch every criminal around. While this has been an engaging arcade aspect of most games,the police need to be more realistic inGrand Theft Auto 6. Police materialize instantly inGTA 5, regardless of the crime’s severity or location, and they tend to swarm and get backup quickly. Over a decade later, it’s a frustrating mechanic that makesGTA 5feel very outdated.
Police should respond appropriately to the scale of the crime inGTA 6. Minor offenses should result in less immediate and intense pursuits, and players should have more opportunities to escape before the full force of the law descends. The officers themselves should do more than attempt to run over the protagonist and shoot them to bits. Reworked the police entirely inGTA 6would be one of the biggest ways to enhance both realism and gameplay diversity.
8Give More Meaningful Character Abilities
The Abilities Should Make Sense & Have More Depth
One key lesson thatGrand Theft Auto 6can take fromGTA 5is tomake character abilities feel more meaningful. While it was cool to have a unique ability, they seemed very generic. Trevor’s made sense, but the abilities of Franklin and Michael felt tacked on. Franklin isn’t necessarily a getaway driver, and there’s nothing that separates Michael’s shooting from every other criminal. Those two should have had abilities that matched their personalities.
Another big issue with the abilities is that they’re only ever needed a few times in the game. The abilities just end up being used whenever a player feels like it rather tha being integral to the game itself.GTA 6should expand upon abilitiesand make them feel like they’re making more of a difference in regular gameplay.
7Reward Players For Side Missions
Side Missions Should Give More Than Chump Change
There are plenty of side missions to do inGrand Theft Auto 5, but they don’t feel very rewarding. They’re funny, and some are fascinating, butside missions feel like a waste of time when the reward is very little cash. The experience is the reward, which is only nice the first time through. IfGTA 6wants to enhance the opportunities for interesting replayability, it can’t make this same mistake.
I’m Not Convinced About GTA 6’s Biggest Rumor
Grand Theft Auto 6 has a lot of rumors going around about price, but it seems like everyone is too jumpy about the prices before confirmation.
It is less appealing to come back and redo these missions on a second or third playthrough.The omission of a good reward hurts the replayabilityand makes the game feel smaller.GTA 6will likely come with side missions and storylines, and it should come with a reward that feels like it’s worth all the time taken.
6Improve The Multiple Protagonist System
It Takes Too Long To Switch Characters
GTA 6is likely to come with multiple protagonists, which were introduced inGrand Theft Auto 5. Whilecharacter swapping is still impressive, the feature has major flaws.The transitions often feel so jarring and take a long time to complete,which makes it a drag to do sometimes. Changing characters is more than switching skins, but it’s been over a decade sinceGTA 5, so switching characters should be much faster.
One good example of character switching being done well isMarvel’s Spider-Man 2;GTA 6needs to have a similar system that is just as fast. LikeGTA 5, the protagonists are often doing their own thing, and the player interrupts whatever it is, butGTA 5takes noticeably longer to complete. There’s also the fact that the protagonists change clothes and hairstyles, which makes players have to change them before moving on.
5Separate Single-Player & Online
Don’t Start Advertising In The Main Game
It’s no surprise thatGrand Theft Auto Onlineis a huge moneymaker for Rockstar, butthe developer did not blur the line between its single-player story and its online mode. It takes purposeful effort for players to see anything about the online multiplayer, and that’s the way it should be forGTA 6. As successful as the online mode is, players don’t want it shoved down their throats.
Whether Rockstar will keep this trend going is up in the air. It’s hard for a company not to advertise a huge moneymaker when it has the opportunity to. However, one of the bestparts aboutGTA 5is that it feels like its own experience, andGTA Onlinefeels separated from it. If Rockstar can keep this going, it’d make players trust the company a lot more.
4Focus On A Single, Lively Location
The Map Is Big, But Some Parts Matter More
Grand Theft Auto 5had a huge map that featured many diverse environments, but it arguablyput a lot more detail into the city of Los Santos than other areas. There are distinct neighborhoods and landmarks, and you can even find the old neighborhood of CJ and the Grove Street gang.GTA 6doesn’t have to make every acre of land unique and interesting, it just has to make Vice City interesting and alive.
Rockstar should prioritize Vice City over the rest of the landscape, which will likely have a diverse population and small towns. While it is not uncommon for players to hang out in the countryside inGTAgames, it is far more common for players to hang out in the city. So,having more shops, districts, and neighborhoods in the city should be the priority, just like inGTA 5.
3Tightening & Refining The Mission Pacing
Every Mission Should Be Good
Grand Theft Auto 6needs missions that are far more refined than the previous game. Somemissions inGTA 5are particularly satisfying, have fantastic pacing, and make the game stand out, butother missions feel rushed, lack weight, and drag on unnecessarily.For example, casing the jewelry store as Michael is an incredibly boring task that overstays its welcome. It makes sense for short missions or bursts, but there are times when it’s too easy to put down the controller.
I’ve Read The GTA 6 Theories, & I’m Sure This Story Prediction About Jason Is Right
I keep up with theories for Grand Theft Auto 6, and I have to say one theory stands out among the lot as incredibly believable and maybe true.
While this seems unreasonable,The Witcher 3is a great example of how to do almost every mission well.GTA 6had more than enough time in development, so Rockstar could have followed a similar idea ofconstantly getting rid of the worst mission ideas and replacing them with the best, repeatedly, until only good missions remained.GTA 5is a great game, but if some missions were better, it could be much more fun to replay.
2Have Some Environmental Destruction
Explosions Cause Damage In Real Life
Grand Theft Auto 5has many explosions and bullets flying everywhere. While cars and some random objects take damage, the environment does not.GTA 6does not need to implement permanent damage, butthere should be some sign that an explosion or crash happened,even if for a short time. A temporary effect of concrete broken or a window broken for the amount of time a player is around would be more than enough.
Plenty of other games have the environment showing damage, so it’s not unreasonable. In fact,Watch Dogslets players take out traffic lights and cause car crashes. Shooting the lights inGTA 5only makes them go out but does not cause cars to misunderstand whether they can go or not.Having no visible damage around the environment ruins immersionbecause it’s a reminder that this is just a video game.
1Give Players A Memorable Antagonist
The best thing thatGrand Theft Auto 6can learn fromGTA 5is tomake a good antagonist that is memorable for players.GTA 5features no shortage of people getting in the way of the main characters, but none really stand out. It just feels like they’re targets to take out, not anyone that could last the test of time. In fact, I can’t remember the names of those antagonists despite beating the game three times.
An average antagonist was okay for the lastGTA, but it is a lesson that should be learned for this next game. IfGrand Theft Auto 6only brings in a great story with a memorable antagonist, it will seem like the series learned from the last game. Players need to feel like their journeys matter, and having someone who gets under a player’s skin does a lot for the experience.
