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GTA 6 Extended Look: Everything we learned from the new footage
The GTA 6 Extended Look delivers 26 minutes of new gameplay and fresh details, from the Wanted system and character customisation to Vice City’s huge open world.
Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look was a first even for the games industry, impressively underlining just how far Rockstar Games’ open-world series stands above the rest of the sector. The 26-minute feature offered fresh insights, the first extended gameplay footage and new revelations about what is undeniably this year’s biggest gaming release. And even if not all our expectations were fully met, GTA VI is finally more real than ever before. We’ve summarised all the new information and details below.
What is the GTA 6 Extended Look?
- When was it released? Thursday, August 27, 2026
- Where can I watch it? Netflix or the Rockstar Games YouTube channel
- What is it exactly? A 26-minute video providing exclusive access to new, curated footage from Grand Theft Auto VI
01
GTA 6 Extended Look finally reveals gameplay
After two trailers, 18 months without any official footage and various leaks, Rockstar Games have finally shown how GTA 6 actually plays in the Extended Look. Rather than simply presenting a compilation of spectacular scenes, the official footage offers an insight into how the game’s individual gameplay systems work together.
The Extended Look shows genuine gameplay for the first time, rather than just cutscenes. You’ll see shooter gameplay in a skyscraper, where Jason takes cover behind walls before opening fire. The gunplay appears to have been refined significantly and is certainly reminiscent of dedicated cover-based shooters. A car chase through Vice City also makes it clear that shooting at the tyres of pursuing police cars is one of the most effective ways to shake them off.
GTA 6 will have a vehicle for every occasion
© Rockstar Games/Take-Two
The driving also appears noticeably more dynamic than in GTA 5, with tighter bends and sudden braking manoeuvres. You can put your skills to the test straight away in car or dirt-bike races. Rockstar had already confirmed that it hired real racing drivers to help develop the vehicle handling, with the aim of making driving better than ever before – and it certainly seems to have paid off.
02
Jason and Lucia: Two protagonists, one destiny
Lucia Caminos promises a GTA first
© Rockstar Games/Take-Two Interactive
The relationship between Jason and Lucia is central to GTA 6, both in terms of the story and the gameplay. You can apparently switch between the two characters at any time, and in one scene they even communicate with each other via chat. According to Rockstar, the strength of their relationship is set to influence both the course of the story and its ending.
Importantly, Jason and Lucia don’t necessarily have to be a romantic couple. You can also play them as platonic partners, but the duo will remain at the heart of the story either way.
03
GTA 6 wanted system and criminal profiles
The city is yours. Just beware the law
© Rockstar Games/Take-Two
The Wanted system returns with up to six stars – a feature that was missing from GTA 5. A new element is that the police take several factors into account, including your clothing, appearance and vehicle. In practice, this means you’ll need to set compromised vehicles on fire, change your clothes and, if necessary, even seek refuge in a boot.
Jason loads up for trouble
© Rockstar Games/Take-Two
There’s also a new criminal profile system, reminiscent of the honour system in Red Dead Redemption 2. It tracks your behaviour throughout the entire game – for example, whether you use unnecessary violence – and, unlike Wanted levels, it isn’t simply reset.
04
The open world of Leonida
This is where it becomes clear that GTA 6 is aiming to be more than just ‘GTA 5 with better graphics’: the list of side activities is huge. You can play basketball, go kayaking, hunt alligators or simply lie on the beach in Vice City and scroll through social media feeds. You can even stroke dogs as you walk past them – or, if you really want to, tell them off.
Scuba diving is one of many distractions you’ll find in Leonida county
© Rockstar Games
This wealth of activities underlines what Rockstar are clearly aiming for with GTA 6: an open world that feels alive and continues to exist around you, even when you’re not playing.
05
GTA 6 release date, playtime and map size
The good news: GTA 6 is still scheduled for release on November 19, 2026, for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Rockstar North developer Rob Nelson estimated his own playthrough – focusing on the main story and narrative-driven side content – at around 80 hours.
GTA 6 is due to be released on November 19, 2026
© Rockstar Games
There are also figures regarding the size of the map. It is reportedly around three times the size of the map in Red Dead Redemption 2, which is already considered one of the largest open worlds ever created.
06
GTA 6 graphics and presentation
Reactions to the graphics have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Thanks to photorealistic faces and lifelike movements, the characters look better than ever, complemented by richly detailed locations ranging from apartment interiors to rooftop bars and dimly lit underground clubs. Many fans were also struck by the variety of body shapes among background characters – a detail that is rarely implemented so consistently in video games.
The elaborate visuals are closely linked to the game’s budget and development time. According to reports, GTA 6 is considered one of the most expensive video games ever produced.
07
Your body, your look: GTA 6 lets you customise Jason and Lucia
One exciting detail had already been confirmed: when it comes to character development for Lucia and Jason, GTA 6 goes significantly further than any previous instalment. While we’re already familiar with this kind of physical transformation from GTA San Andreas, the sixth main instalment features a much more in-depth system. Specifically, what you eat, how often you exercise and how you spend your nights will all be directly visible in Jason and Lucia’s appearance.
The ability to customise your properties with pools and more is a must
© Rockstar Games/Take-Two
- Diet: Fast food and excessive drinking will cause you to gain visible weight.
- Exercise: Regular exercise builds muscle.
- Sleep: All-night gaming sessions and constant stress leave their mark on your face.
- Lifestyle: If you’re constantly on the run from the police, you’ll look exhausted and haggard.
For Rockstar Games, this is more than just a nice gimmick. Leonida is designed to feel like a real world, where your decisions leave their mark and influence the gameplay. So whether you play as a fit, straight-edge gangster or indulge in the colourful life of Vice City, your choices will have an impact on GTA 6 gameplay.
The development team are therefore placing greater emphasis on immersion and realism than ever before in the series. Nevertheless, the latest instalment in the open-world game series is set to retain all of its classic DNA.
More on the Grand Theft Auto series
08
GTA Online release remains uncertain
Just as exciting as what Rockstar are showing is what they are deliberately leaving out. The single-player portion of GTA 6 will launch without microtransactions, while Rockstar say no generative AI was used in its development either.
Rockstar are also staying true to their established approach when it comes to content. While GTA 6 will, as usual, tackle social and political issues satirically, real-life political figures or events won't feature directly.
And there’s something else missing: the Extended Look revealed no new information about GTA Online. Rockstar have already made it clear that GTA 6 will be a purely single-player experience at launch, so a multiplayer mode is likely to follow at a later date.
After a 13-year wait, the Extended Look finally provides some concrete answers. Now Rockstar just have to prove that, on November 19, all the systems shown will work together just as well in the finished game.
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