We finally have our first proper glimpse of GTA 6, Rockstar’s next magnum opus, and it looks to be a huge sprawling epic set in a new version of Vice City that’s far grander and more intricately detailed than we’ve ever seen before. Considering the last time we visited it was the PS2 era, Atomic Kitten were still in the charts, and half the people who work on this website were still in nappies, it’s a pretty mindblowing upgrade.
That’s what, three generations since the GTA: Vice City? And what’s perhaps more striking than the scope and scale of the city is the quality of the character models. The photorealistic skin and hair, the dazzlingly lifelike animation: things have definitely come a long way since the original 3D rendition of Florida’s jewel in the mud. Obviously. It’s been over twenty years. But Rockstar wasn’t exactly known for its character work back then. Cars and buildings? They had that nailed. Urban cityscapes? Completed it. Faces that don’t look like potatoes? We’ll get back to you. Separated fingers? Uh, look mate, take it or leave it yeah.
So it’s astonishing to see how far GTA 6 has leapt ahead of almost everything else we’ve seen, not just in technical terms, but in terms of artistry. Seeing this footage removes any doubt as to why it’s been so long since the last big GTA release: the amount of blood and sweat (and money) being leathered into this game is obscene.