GTA 6 Draws Inspiration from Red Dead Redemption 2’s Narrative Style

Rockstar Games is finally sharing some solid details about Grand Theft Auto 6 ahead of its release on November 19. With pre-orders now available, we’ve got the scoop on the different editions of GTA 6 and their prices, starting at $79.99 for the base version. While much of the focus is on pre-order bonuses and the best platforms to experience the game, a small but intriguing detail hints at a fresh approach to the series’ storytelling.

The Ultimate Edition of GTA 6 will provide players with access to a variety of premium vehicles, weapons, and more, but these won’t all be available immediately. A brief note in the official description mentions that bonuses will be “threaded across all aspects of Jason and Lucia’s story, with new items uncovered behind each chapter.” The use of the term “chapter” is particularly noteworthy. While it could simply refer to the unfolding narrative, it likely indicates that GTA 6 will be structured into larger, distinct chapters.

This approach seems to draw inspiration from 2018’s Red Dead Redemption 2, which segmented Arthur Morgan’s story into clear sections. In RDR 2, this structure allowed for time jumps and significant changes to the game world. With Vice City and its surroundings shaping up to be a vast playground for GTA 6, organizing each chapter around different areas of the map could enhance the experience. This method could also enable Rockstar to experiment more with genre and tone, providing a refreshing change from the traditional, continuous flow of missions that often characterize Grand Theft Auto narratives.

Since its announcement, the story of GTA 6 has been a major talking point. Players will follow dual protagonists Lucia and Jason in a crime and love saga reminiscent of Bonnie and Clyde. The official synopsis sets the stage:

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, caught in a criminal conspiracy that spans the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to survive.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is often hailed as Rockstar’s best narrative achievement, so GTA 6 taking cues from it bodes well for the emphasis on storytelling in the upcoming game. This doesn’t imply that Grand Theft Auto has lacked compelling narratives; rather, it shows that Rockstar is leveraging everything it has learned since the release of GTA 5 in 2013 to craft the best possible experience with GTA 6.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to launch for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X on November 19.

Still no new trailer, though.