7 things in the GTA 6 trailer that have me excited

Grand Theft Auto VI looks set to be the first game to display truly next-gen visuals, and here's why I'm excited

Grand Theft Auto VI has finally been showcased with a debut trailer and a 2025 release date. I’m not super happy about that last bit, honestly, but the trailer was shockingly impressive. There were dozens of small things that really stood out to me, but in this list I’ve broken down just six of the highlights.

It’s a short trailer, just 90 seconds long, but it showcases glimpses of dozens of locations and characters that I can’t wait to see more of. For the seven most exciting things in the GTA 6 trailer – according to me – just look through the list below.

Make sure to read about Twerkin', Alligators, and Trust, too!

GTA 6 confirmed for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2025, no luck for PC

Dual protagonists

Can't wait to see what our Bonnie & Clyde duo get up to / Rockstar

Two of them! GTA 6 is going to be the first game in the series with a woman, Lucia, in the lead role, while her boyfriend and partner in crime is at her side. From the trailer we can deduce that GTA 5’s selection of three protagonists has been cut down to two, and has given them a far more intimate relationship. Official sources haven’t confirmed the man’s name yet, as Lucia was given the spotlight in this first trailer. GTA hasn’t featured a female protagonist since it entered the 3D era over 20 years ago, so Lucia’s entry into the series is a huge milestone. We’re excited to see how this Bonnie & Clyde-style dynamic evolves in the full game.

Hair physics

Yes, this image is here because of the hair specifically / Rockstar

Sounds ridiculous, right? Yes, there are certainly a lot of physics going on throughout the trailer – you certainly didn’t need us to point that out, did you? – but the standout moment for me was the hair physics on display by the poolside lady at 0:38. As she poses for the camera she swings her hair, and it sits on her shoulder a bit, droops down, swings in the wind. For now I’m assuming these effects are dialed up for certain scenes only, but could you imagine if the full world had these kinds of physics effects on materials? Every breeze making NPC hair swing in the wind while walking through a crowd? I want to believe.

Next-gen realism

You could convince me that we're looking at a real alligator / Rockstar

It looks incredible. The hair physics was the first thing that tipped me off to this, but just look at it. Like, all of it. Animations of characters sprinting, posing, and exposing all look simply mind-blowing. This is the most genuinely incredible and detailed character animation we’ve seen since The Last of Us Part 2, and here it’s seemingly being applied to every NPC. The way characters and the world is lit, the way shadows become soft when further away from the object casting them, it’s all almost too good to be true – at least, that’s what I’d say now if I didn’t say it back when the first Red Dead Redemption 2 trailer released. GTA 6 might be the first game that truly showcases the power of Xbox Series X and PS5 consoles.

World density

Will the game actually look this good? / Rockstar

Yes, there are a lot of fancy effects happening, but did you notice just how much is happening? Everywhere? All the time? We’re given loads of aerial shots of the world, and there are always cars on highways, plenty of people, and even animals that look as intricately modeled and animated as any other character. Look in the background of every frame in the trailer, and there’s something to see. Every frame a painting. It makes the prospect of exploring this world intensely exciting.

“Characters”

Anyone get the reference? / Rockstar

Not just Lucia and her boytoy, but every other character we see in the trailer. Yes, these are absolute characters. The strange old woman wielding a pair of hammers is already iconic, but I can’t wait to see more of every unique gang member we get a brief glimpse of. GTA games have always been known for their memorable cast, and it looks like GTA 6 will be no different.

Beautiful satire

Nobody does satire like Rockstar / Rockstar

As Lucia’s boyfriend races down the road a sign for “America’s Favorite Dissociative” flashes by. Angstipan: it cures emotions! It’s a silly joke, and an obvious jab at the privatized healthcare industry. This is the GTA I know, and I can’t wait for more.

Coming 2025

GTA 6, coming 2025 / Rockstar

Was I stupid for hoping that this would launch in 2024? Maybe I was, but GTA 6 is genuinely beautiful and I am very much ready to see more. This is setting up to be the best GTA game of all time, and if the immense quality on display here is seen all over the map, I’m more than happy to wait until 2025.