Grand Theft Auto 6: An Extended Look on Netflix — follow live updates on everything we know so far, and what to expect from the big gameplay reveal

Going back to the comments from Rockstar in the Dazed article — if there are deeper relationship mechanics to manage in this game, I expect that we'll hear about it in the Extended Look. It's the kind of thing developers love to talk about, and you can only fill so much time with car and boat chases…

How are you planning to watch?

I've just added a poll to the top of this page, so you can let us know how you're planning to watch the Extended Look, and we can see if everyone's tuning in on Netflix or waiting for YouTube. Here's that poll, if you don't want to scroll:

When it comes to the fake-Miami world of the game, Rockstar said it could just have a "cynical view and say, 'Well that’s weird, put it in the game'" — though it seems like it'll be full of esoteric cultural references, including the bit in the leaks where Cyberleek stole a truck with a flatbed full of gasoline that mirrors a bizarre real-life video.

But Rockstar told Dazed: "We have to bring a sense of discovery to the players too, not just repeat cliches that already exist."

Apparently, that meant digging deep into Miami culture, and it seems like Rockstar is hoping you'll be interesting in nuances of different neighborhoods and styles too. "We were also really interested in how the hip-hop scene in Miami exists in house parties in Overtown, clubs like Booby Trap on the River, and then high-end places on South Beach where bottles can cost thousands of dollars. We needed characters who could take us through those worlds," says Rupert Humphries, senior vice president of narrative.

This is a similarly interesting note, if it can hit a deeper note. “We want to enable as much self-expression as possible,” Dazed quotes Nelson as saying, “without losing the essence of the characters.”

The example given in the article is this: "Food affects Jason and Lucia’s weight, while exercising visibly builds and tones their muscles. And, if you end up spending a long time away from your bed, on the run from police or on a multi-day bender, their features are going to pay the price for that as well."

The article compares it to similar elements of Red Dead Redemption 2. It kind of feels like a better fit for that game — disappearing off into the woods and to return as a haggard, hungry mountain man feels like something that changes a character; it's maybe less impactful to do the same thing at a '24/7' store.

However, the article also hints at "deep relationship mechanics"… but doesn't say what they'll look like, or how they'll contribute to the game's story.

Here's a quote from Rob Nelson, head of development and co-studio head at Rockstar North: “The thing we love about this medium is the way these characters aren’t empty avatars that you can do whatever you want with... Their story becomes a journey you share with them.”

I've gotta say that my experience with GTA games is that I kind of have always found them to be pretty simple avatars — and it probably doesn't help that the only new GTA content we've had in years is GTA online, which isn't deep on story. So I wonder if we're going to see a big difference in how Jason and Lucia feel as protagonists, or if this will end up feeling like unrealized ambition from Rockstar.

A big interview

If you're looking for tidbits ahead of the Extended Look, there's an interview with several senior figures from Rockstar over at Dazed talking about what they're hoping to achieve with the game — some with more specific details to back it up, and some not. Let's get into some of the claims.

30 minutes seems right

There was a lot of speculation over how long the event would be — a BBC report claimed 30 minutes a while ago, but was met with some skepticism online, and then was removed from the report. But it turned out to be essentially right on the money, with Netflix now listing a 27-minute runtime.

I think that's probably good length. There's an upper limit on how much is really worth showing us before launch — we want to get a good feel for the scale, the movement, the pace… but I want to mostly experience all this for myself when it comes out.

It's interesting that today's showcase will demo how it looks on PS5 rather than PS5 Pro. We know the Pro version will be enhanced, but not exactly how — this makes me wonder if it'll just be a higher rendering resolution rather than major lighting improvements or other elements that Rockstar might want to show off (though people are expecting some kind of superior Ray Tracing tech in the Pro version).

Now, I say our first official look, because the last week has seen an unprecedented series of GTA 6 gameplay leaks from the mysterious 'Cyberleek'. There's been a lot of speculation over what platform those leaks are from (the consensus is that it's likely running on a PC) and exactly what the leaker had access to (some argue just the prologue).

Welcome to the big day, everyone! Our first official look at GTA 6 gameplay running on a PS5.