- A new leak suggests Grand Theft Auto 6 will feature hundreds of malls and over 700 functional and enterable stores
- It also indicates an upgrade from GTA 5's character switching system
- This could reshape the open-world genre in gaming, with new levels of immersion never seen before
Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto 6 is now a year away from launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and it's expected to reinvent the wheel within the franchise and the open-world genre. Fortunately, a new leak has backed up the theory that it will do just that.
According to GameRoll (via Discord message screenshots), who is a content creator and credible 'leaker', GTA 6 will feature hundreds of malls and over 700 enterable stores, which are all fully functional. This further suggests that the long-awaited entry will be the biggest in scale in the franchise's history, expanding the number of accessible interiors and taking realism to a new level.
It's also worth noting that the classic character switch from GTA 5 will reportedly make a return, but with a slight twist; GameRoll hints at an additional character switching mode, with Jason and Lucia together.
Essentially, this means players should be able to switch between the two characters even while they're with each other – supposedly during free roam and store robberies. This potentially opens the gateway for immersive and extensive interactions with other characters and NPCs, building upon Rockstar's most recent title, Red Dead Redemption 2.
GameRoll also mentioned that the source suggested that elevators will be present in certain skyscrapers, which implies interiors may have more depth and interactability than ever before.
Other elements that were previously spotted in Rockstar's massive data breach, like the ability to go prone and a dynamic cover system that was akin to The Last of Us Part 2's system, have reportedly been cut entirely.
It's best to take this supposed leak with a grain of salt, as there is no hard evidence on this occasion – at least not at the same level as the famous Slack leak, showcasing gameplay in a dev build.
However, there's a very good chance that this leak is accurate, since GameRoll (in what was labelled a "prediction") previously leaked info from an insider, which revealed both Lucia and Jason's full character names, long before the recent second trailer and website info dump.
The rumored new character switching mode is another point of credibility; the gameplay leak revealed Lucia and Jason during a restaurant robbery, with options to check in with the other. It's not clear whether this was a scripted sequence in a mission or free roam (and we don't know if it'll make it into the full game), but it's made these claims much more believable.
Analysis: GTA 6 is shaping up to be a trendsetter
The terms trendsetter and GTA 6 may not come as a surprise, as it will have been almost exactly a 13-year wait by the time it launches on May 26, 2026. If this leak is legitimate, which I honestly think it is, GTA 6 will have set an incredibly high standard for other open-world games.
Rockstar Games is known for its attention to detail in every facet and aspect of open-world games, and Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prime example of that – so much so, that gamers are still finding secrets in the game today after its 2018 release.
If we now carry that over into a modern-day setting based on Miami, in a Grand Theft Auto title, then I can only imagine just how much content and surprises we have in store. Developers have already made it clear that the second trailer's reveals were only just the tip of the iceberg, and I think the leak of over 700 stores is an example of that.
I'm still upset about a potential 2027 or even 2028 PC launch, but if Rockstar can deliver what these leaks suggest and more, my frustrations may be quickly forgotten...
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