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Gaming
Differences between GTA 5 and GTA 6: listed
Grand Theft Auto VI releases in November 2026, and expectations are sky high! So it’s time to compare. What are the differences between GTA 5 and GTA 6? We’ve listed all the changes and updates coming to the franchise.
GTA 5 vs GTA 6: all confirmed differences
Want a quick overview of all the differences that are coming to GTA 6? We’ve gathered the confirmed changes in the table below!
|
GTA 5 |
GTA 6 |
|
|
Characters |
Three ex-criminal protagonists |
Bank-robbing couple in the lead (plus: the first female protagonist in the series) |
|
Story |
Ex-criminals forced back into the circuit to pay off debts. |
A couple trying to make a better life for themselves, but struggling to escape the criminal world |
|
Graphics |
4K resolution, realistic NPCs for the time, previous-gen loading times |
Ray tracing, improved AI, more realistic NPCs, faster loading times |
|
City |
Los Santos |
Vice City + five more areas: Leonida Keys, Grassrivers, Port Gellhorn, Ambrosia and Mount Kalaga |
GTA 5 vs. GTA 6: Story and characters
What we know the most about so far is how the story and characters will change in GTA VI. While GTA 5 follows three ex-criminals forced back into a life of crime to pay off debts, the new game promises a story more like Bonnie and Clyde. The main characters are Jason and Lucia, the latter being the first female protagonist in the series. They want to make a better life together, but they can’t seem to escape the criminal circuit.
Where GTA 5 had three main characters, GTA 6 has two, but that doesn’t mean we’ll get fewer storylines. GTA 5 was revolutionary for how it seamlessly leveraged three distinct stories, without sacrificing any of the depth. Fans are expecting the GTA 6 story to carry on this legacy. We can expect a narrative that is at times very dark, with lots of twists and social commentary.
Summary story and character updates
- Two protagonists with a Bonnie and Clyde-type story.
- First female protagonist in GTA history.
- Story with lots of depth.
GTA Differences in Graphics
Graphic comparisons between GTA 6 and GTA 5 are all over the internet. People are taking stills from the official GTA 6 trailers and comparing those against similar images from GTA 5. These comparisons look really promising!
That the visuals for GTA 6 look so much better is not a coincidence, of course. Grand Theft Auto VI enhances the graphics with ray tracing that will make the game look incredible. Additionally, the game's AI will be improved. This means NPCs react more intelligently to your actions, making the experience more realistic.
When GTA 5 came out, the latest consoles were the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. With the release of the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, loading times have decreased exponentially. That means we can also expect faster loading in GTA 6 compared to GTA 5.
Summary graphic updates
- Better graphics with ray tracing.
- Improved AI brings more realistic NPC interactions.
- Faster loading times.
GTA VI vs. GTA V: Map and city
GTA 6 takes place in Vice City! GTA 5 was set in Los Santos, but for the new game, we’re returning to the sunny city located in Leonida. That’s not all, there are additional locations announced for GTA 6, beyond the main city. These areas include: Leonida Keys, Grassrivers, Port Gellhorn, Ambrosia and Mount Kalaga.
We don’t have an official map for GTA 6 yet, but since so many locations have been announced, fans are expecting the map to be huge. Fans have even started a mapping project to capture the potential size of the new game. If these speculations are correct, the map in GTA 6 might be double the size of the one from GTA 5.
Summary map and city updates
- Return to Vice City.
- Five more locations to explore outside the main city.
- Huge map that’s potentially double the size of the GTA 5 map.
GTA 6 Gameplay
Unfortunately, not much is known about the gameplay in GTA 6, since we haven’t seen any actual gameplay footage yet. With the announced updates to the AI, graphics and loading times, we can expect some major changes to the gameplay as well.
What will change in GTA 6 Online?
Rockstar Games hasn’t made any official announcement about what GTA Online will look like in GTA 6. However, fans expect more custom role-playing options, as well as additional microtransactions and subscription models. We’ll have to wait and see if this is actually the case.
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