Rockstar has finally confirmed the biggest rumor about GTA 6: hurricanes are coming. The studio spoke to Game Informer about the game’s ambitious weather systems, its sprawling map, and the sheer amount of stuff you can do outside the main story. Here is everything we learned.
Hurricanes Are Officially Confirmed
Florida’s most significant weather event has been a hot topic since GTA 6 was announced. Now Rockstar has confirmed they will appear in the game. Speaking to Game Informer, the studio declined to say how often they will happen or if they affect the story.
The depiction sounds intense. Rockstar described heavy clouds, strong winds, dense atmospherics, and a lot of rain combining so that everything drips wet. Water gushes off roof edges and lampposts, thunder rumbles, and lightning flashes light up the clouds dramatically.
The Weather System Got Rewritten
Rockstar’s VP of art for lighting and rendering, Owen Shepherd, confirmed the studio re-engineered its weather system for GTA 6. The result is localized, persistent, and dynamic. Players can soak up sunny rays in one part of the map while seeing a rainstorm in the distance.
The game will also feature rainbows and puddles. You can travel through an area and deduce it recently rained without having been there. Wind creates ripples in the water, blows hair around, and pushes debris across the world.
The Map Is Twice as Big as GTA 5’s
Aaron Garbut, co-studio head of Rockstar North, confirmed that GTA 6’s map is twice as large as GTA 5’s. The setting is a fictionalized version of Florida called Leonida.
“This new world is different,” Garbut said. “We obsessed about every part – the rooftops, the alleys, the internals and everything in between to the point we hit a critical mass with the numbers of our interiors, and you start to feel the buildings are more real inside and out. This world is a cohesive whole with the density of content and a hand-crafted quality to every bit.”
Six Regions, Each With Its Own Identity
GTA 6’s map splits into six distinct regions. The most recognizable is Vice City, familiar to fans from 2002’s GTA: Vice City. The other regions of Leonida are Leonida Keys, Grassrivers, Port Gellhorn, Ambrosia, and Mount Kalaga National Park.
Each region has its own factions. Ambrosia is a rural part of the map with factories and refineries, dominated by a biker gang. This gang appears different from the Lost MC, which appeared prominently in GTA 4 and GTA 5.
The Story Takes You Across the Map
A map this big could feel daunting. Rockstar plans to solve that by building the story around the different areas. It will show the contrast between more affluent parts of Leonida and more “poor” areas.
Fast Travel Finally Arrives
GTA has let players hop in a cab to freely fast travel through the world. Red Dead Redemption 2 was more restrictive, letting you travel between towns but not specific points. GTA 6 changes that with a ride-share system.
However, ride-sharing means sharing. Players can hop in a car with other passengers and have unique conversations. If you want to avoid small talk, you can doomscroll on Snapmatic, the game’s parody of Instagram.
You Cannot Post on Social Media Yourself
Players cannot post on the app themselves. Jason and Lucia are on the run and would risk danger by being overly active on social media.
The Side Activity List Is Long
GTA 6 features a boatload of side activities. Here is what Game Informer revealed:
- Base jumping
- Billiards
- Gyms
- Kayaking
- Mini golf
- Scuba diving
- Street and off-road racing
- Zoos
- Air boating
- Jet skiing
Over 170 Animal Species
Players will see and interact with 170 different types of animals. That includes over 60 birds, over 30 land mammals, and a variety of fish and reptiles. The extended gameplay reveal in August confirmed you can pet dogs, and this likely extends to other animals like cats.
“Florida has a diverse animal ecosystem that we wanted to faithfully include across the different biomes in Leonida – urban and rural environs, aquatic life both inland and ocean, and the wetland habitats like the swamps and Everglades,” Rockstar vice president of dynamic art Michael Kane explained. “The animal art and population teams are incredibly passionate about delivering animals that are accurately researched and look visually correct in every respect, alongside the supporting movement and animation to bring them to life.”
Aquatic Life Has Distinct Behavior
GTA 6 features different shark species, jellyfish, whales, turtles, and rays in the sea. They have “distinct movement behavior” and can be encountered while scuba diving.
Hunting Looks Like It Is Back
One screenshot shows Jason approaching deer in the wild with a rifle over his back. It suggests hunting returns in the game. GTA 5 included hunting as a small part of the game. Red Dead Redemption 2 brought back a more developed system.
The hurricane confirmation alone is a win for fans who doubted it was technically possible. The 170 animal species and the promise of shared ride-share chats are notable additions to the game’s systems. The story’s plan to drag you across the map is a smart design choice, and the fast-travel system removes the frustration of driving everywhere. The side activity list is impressive, with base jumping, scuba diving, and jet skiing sounding like the kind of things that will keep you busy between missions. The animal research shows Rockstar cares about the details.
There is a lot left to see. The game is still in development, and Rockstar has not shown everything. But what we have learned paints a picture of a dense, varied, and engaging open world.
Source material: “GTA 6: All the Major New Details Revealed Today, Including Animal Species, Side Activities, and Fast Travel,” IGN.
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