GTA 6 extended gameplay reveal shows off new combat, carjacking, gyms and much more

The extended GTA 6 footage shown during today's grand Netflix reveal offered one of the clearest looks yet at what Rockstar was up to for the better part of the past thirteen years. Story details were still deliberately hazy, but the presentation showed several gameplay systems in action, along with new locations, activities and a handful of seemingly important NPCs. While Netflix didn't explicitly state which platform the game was recorded on, an earlier leak implied it was the PS5. For now, you need a Netflix subscription to view the content, but it will be available on YouTube about six hours later. 

Combat gets massive upgrades

Combat appears to be one of the biggest areas of change. Several gunfights showed enemies being injured or downed without necessarily dying immediately, while ragdolls and hit reactions looked considerably more elaborate than in GTA 5. Rockstar also showed off slow-motion sequences of NPCs dying with a distinctly Max Payne-like presentation.

Lucia and Jason were both shown using multiple weapons, including pistols and shotguns, with Lucia at one point firing a shotgun one-handed. One sequence shows Lucia stabbing an attacker in the eye, who briefly goes down before getting back up and continuing the fight. However, that may be part of a cutscene and not representative of melee combat overall.

As do vehicle mechanics

Vehicle-related mechanics received just as much attention. One carjacking sequence appears to involve a hammer. It ties into leaked footage from earlier which shows that you can't simply waltz into a car anymore like you could earlier. Rockstar also showed extended police pursuits, drive-by shootings with automatic weapons, dramatically tumbling police cars and first-person driving during a chase.

Hiding from the cops might give you temporary respite, but the AI appears to be smarter this time and actually looks for you before giving up. Fire effects were another important showcase. A Molotov attack visibly set a vehicle ablaze, with the flames spreading quite realistically.

GTA 6 will add a ton of new open-world activities

Character switching is back as well. The footage showed what looked like an almost instantaneous switch between Jason and Lucia, following the same basic idea as GTA 6 but with a much faster transition. Outside combat, Rockstar appears to be substantially expanding the number of interactive activities.

Lucia was shown bench-pressing at a gym using alternating L2 and R2 inputs, likely tying into the weight loss/gain mechanics confirmed earlier. Other scenes included basketball, street racing, dirt racing, rowing, boating, skydiving and visits to a strip club. There were also smaller environmental interactions. One domestic sequence showed a refrigerator containing selectable items such as food and beer, while a parody advertisement played on a nearby television.

The GTA 6 footage also gave a better sense of the areas Rockstar is building beyond central Vice City. Bayside and river locations featured prominently, alongside underground driving sections, beaches, waterways and nightlife-heavy districts - standard fare for any GTA game. Other notable activities include underwater diving and boat rides. In a later sequence, Jason moves through offices filled with detailed props and computer equipment while Lucia fights elsewhere in the building. The sequence also showed a new messaging interface, with Lucia's text appearing as a floating bubble beside the relevant character rather than solely on a conventional phone screen.

Rockstar's familiar satire remains intact too. One short sequence featured a social-media "trunk challenge" fronted by what looked like a parody of a Gen Z streamer riding the trunk of Jason's car during a chase sequence. The overall impression is that GTA 6 is putting considerably more emphasis on systemic combat, vehicle interaction, environmental detail and side activities, all while maintaining the same GTA-esque tone that made the game as revered as it is today.