GTA 6’s Side Quests: Packed with Action, Humor, and Endless Distractions

The moment countless fans have been anticipating has finally arrived. Rockstar Games unveiled an extensive look at Grand Theft Auto 6 today, packed with exciting details for gamers to dive into as we approach the game’s November release. While the previous trailers showcased stunning visuals of the beaches, nightclubs, and swamps around Vice City, this latest reveal gave us our first official glimpse of actual gameplay.

From what we’ve seen, Rockstar’s latest open-world crime saga is brimming with activities and adventures.

The Netflix presentation primarily highlighted the game’s criminal elements, featuring scenes of a drug deal gone awry, Jason and Lucia robbing a grocery store, and an impressive number of vehicle thefts. In one moment, while waiting for a mysterious Spanish-speaking character, the duo engages in a playful debate about who is the superior criminal. But there’s no time for idle chatter: soon, Jason is unleashing a machine gun on a police SUV, cruiser, and even a helicopter, while Lucia floors it to find a hidden alley for their escape. Later, they find themselves in a shootout after a lavish rooftop cocktail party takes a chaotic turn.

However, GTA 6 also offers plenty of laid-back activities, such as riding scooters, relaxing at the beach, racing sports cars, dirt biking, and even urban skydiving.

An earlier feature revealed that GTA 6 will allow players to influence Jason and Lucia’s appearance in significant ways: “Food impacts their weight, while exercising visibly builds and tones their muscles. If they spend too long away from their bed, whether on the run from the police or on a multi-day bender, their looks will reflect that.” The Netflix preview provided a clearer understanding of this mechanic, showcasing Lucia working out and Jason swimming. While getting fit might be a grind in real life, players will see immediate results here. Conversely, many players will likely aim to make Jason and Lucia as robust as possible during their playthroughs.

The Netflix special also offered a captivating look at Jason and Lucia’s apartment, featuring flamingo and palm print wallpaper along with pink fairy lights. After helping Lucia choose her outfit for the night, Jason grabs a drink from the fridge and zones out in front of the TV, watching commercials for antidepressants and questionable fast-food sandwiches.

Previous trailers have already introduced the quirky inhabitants of Vice City, and the Netflix showcase continued this trend, presenting glimpses of tough shirtless guys in Boobie’s crew, women in bandana-print tube tops, friendly pit bulls, and individuals hard at work in their underwear cooking up drugs. At one point, a disheveled older woman in a nightgown takes a hammer to an old car. The cast includes a mix of slender and portly characters, all sporting impressively rendered hair. We even see Lucia and Jason being questioned while in disguise—Jason dons a bright yellow shirt adorned with snakes, while Lucia sports a glossy platinum blonde bob wig.

Developers emphasize that the game’s NPCs offer more than just a take on the familiar Florida Man memes. “It’s easy to approach this with a cynical mindset and say, ‘Well, that’s weird, throw it in the game,’ but we couldn’t stop there. We aim to provide players with a sense of discovery, not just recycle existing clichés,” said Rob Nelson, head of development and co-studio head at Rockstar North.

Players will be able to enjoy all the absurdity Vice City has to offer when GTA 6 launches on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X on November 19.

A recent leak has also shed light on what Rockstar might do with its always-on sandbox.