Grand Theft Auto 6is no doubt at the top of many players' lists of most-anticipated titles, as the next chapter in Rockstar’s long-running open-world crime series is well on its way. Despiterumors thatGTA 6could be delayed into 2026, the hype train is still running at full speed, with speculation running rampant about the game’s possible gameplay and narrative elements.
Though concrete, syndicated information aboutGrand Theft Auto 6is fairly sparse, there’s enough intel available to be confident about certain details. Something that many fans have long assumed (thanks in part toleaks) is the game’s two-protagonist structure;GTA 6will follow Lucia, the subject of the game’s one and only trailer, but it will also likely star her lover, referred to as Jason in the 2022GTA 6leaks. It would appear that Jason will be playable alongside Lucia, hearkening back to the triple-protagonist formula ofGrand Theft Auto 5. Regaining the ability to swap between different characters on a whim is an exciting prospect, but there’s a way thatGTA 6could subvert expectations in this regard.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Could Take a Different Approach to Its Protagonists
Separate Campaigns for Jason and Lucia Could Be a Boon
GTA 6will probably borrow from other Rockstar properties, as this is how game studios evolve between releases, but it may also benefit by taking a few notes from the likes ofResident Evil 2, offering distinct stories for each of its protagonists. This probably sounds like a baffling idea to anyone expecting a more direct mechanical and structural follow-up toGTA 5, but there’s a lot of potential in the concept.
For one thing, breaking up the experience into the “Lucia campaign” and the “Jason campaign” would allow Rockstar to have more control over things like pacing and the management of plot information. Fans have theorized thatGTA 6could feature a betrayal, with Jason being an undercover cop tasked with investigating Lucia’s criminal activities, and if this is the case, then players could experience this shock alongside Lucia, as they wouldn’t be privy to Jason’s story until later. Even if this exact story beat is missing from the game, the idea of being able to obfuscate aspects of each character’s life from the other, only to later get additional perspective as an audience member, could lead to any number of powerful dramatic moments.
HoweverGTA 6handles the Jason-Lucia relationship, it would be valuable to get a second look at the events of the story from the eyes of the other character. Perhaps players could decide which character to play as first, meaning that how one person experiences the story could be significantly different from another. Alternatively, the character-specific campaigns could be consecutive rather than concurrent, with a grander, longer narrative only coming together upon completing both. This could be like a stretched-out version ofRed Dead Redemption’s epilogues, which see characters other than the protagonist wrapping up the story.
Rockstar could get the best of both worlds with this approach byletting players switch between Jason and Luciaat will after completing both their campaigns.
GTA 6 Could Spill New Blood with Separate Campaigns
Obviously, relegating each playable character to their own story is more restrictive thanGTA 5’s more boundless approach, but that’s the point: greater restriction could lead to better storytelling and a more unique gameplay experience.Grand Theft Autois known for experimentation, never shying away from creative risks, so while repeatingGTA 5’s protagonist-swapping function would be the crowd-pleasing option, it could also feel like retreading old ground. Perhaps it’s better forGTA 6to try something new, pushing players outside their comfort zones.
Grand Theft Auto 6
WHERE TO PLAY
Grand Theft Auto VI heads to the state of Leonida, home to the neon-soaked streets of Vice City and beyond in the biggest, most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet.Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.
