5 Things That The GTA 6 Trailer Needs To Show

Rockstar Games announced earlier this month that after much anticipation, the trailer for GTA 6 will be dropping sometime in early December. The studio also revealed that December marks its 25th anniversary, making this a highly appropriate time to reveal what’s next for the video game industry titan. Since this announcement, fans have been hard at work figuring out what the trailer could look like.

We are very excited to let you know that in early December, we will release the first trailer for the next Grand Theft Auto. We look forward to many more years of sharing these experiences with all of you.

Thank you,
Sam Houser

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) November 8, 2023

There’s no denying that after years of hype, everyone has their own wish list of things they’d want to see in this upcoming trailer. But it’s worth keeping in mind that this is just the first of several trailers for the game. So it’s possible Rockstar Games might not want to reveal everything all at once. Despite this, I think they need to give fans enough things to satiate their hunger and reward their patience.

And so, here are 5 essential things I really want to see in the GTA 6 trailer.

A True Jump To Next-Gen 

There’s no denying that the current generation of gaming is a bit of an odd one. On paper, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles have made drastic improvements from their predecessors. One could argue the shift is even bigger than the leap from Xbox 360 and PS3 to the Xbox One and PS4. However, despite the actual hardware being more than capable, modern games have been failing at making good use of this capability.

There’s no denying that there have been certain titles that have made good use of modern hardware. For example, Spider-Man 2 and its near seamless open-world fast travel. But gamers still feel that a truly “next-gen” game still hasn’t been released yet. One that truly pushes these consoles to their absolute limit, and provides genuinely mindblowing fidelity.

While some hoped that Starfield could be one such game, the odds seem to be in GTA 6’s favor. Rockstar Games has the perfect opportunity to truly showcase why their game will be the trendsetter for the current console generation. I’ve got faith in the studio being able to deliver truly groundbreaking tech with GTA 6. And so, a showcase of some of that during the trailer only seems fitting.

It’s tough to say just how the visuals could be improved upon, other than them simply being lifelike and photorealistic. But even beyond that, having far lower loading times, and greater inclusion of AI could help create a truly stunning world. It’s a tough ask for any game to be a generation-defining one, but if there’s any game that can achieve this feat, it’s GTA 6. 

A Good Look At The Protagonists

GTA games are more or less defined by their protags. So, no trailer would feel complete without a thorough look at who we’re going to be playing in this new adventure. But more than simply revealing them, it’d be nice to see the different protagonists having fun and bouncing off of each other. As per reports which came out earlier, one of the two main characters is said to be a Latina.

She’s going to be joined by a male character, and the duo seems to have kind of a Bonnie and Clyde dynamic going on. It’s likely players will get to switch between the two during the story campaign. Because of this, the first trailer has the tough job of making sure players have a good first impression of both the two main characters. Having the two be charismatic while showing off some of their banter could be a great way to do this.

The trio in GTA 5 have become cultural icons over the years. So, there’s no denying the protags of GTA 6 have some pretty big shoes to fill. But with the right writing, and a strong first impression, GTA 6 might just be able to outdo them. A lot of that comes down to who’s cast to play these roles, which might also be a big reveal for players, in its own way. Especially if the choice ends up being notable personalities or celebrities.

Visuals That Look Amazing

A big part of what immerses people in any virtual world is the visuals and animations. A game can look as good as it wants while still, but the moment the characters start to walk all janky, the illusion falls apart. Recently, Starfield was heavily criticized by fans for having super weird animations.  It’s clear that GTA 6 has the potential to either do things right or make the same mistake.

The trailer will likely feature snippets of gameplay footage. This means that we’ll likely get a decent look at animations. This includes both the character movements, as well as the NPCs, and other assets in the open world. If done well, Rockstar Games could end up setting a new bar in terms of video game animations. Red Dead 2 achieved something similar when it first came out. And who knows? Lightening might just strike twice.

A Densely Packed Open World

GTA 5’s open world was mindblowing when it came out. But tech has come a long way since then, and nowadays, it might feel a bit outdated. The game feels like it lacks real density, with many many buildings lacking interiors. This is something that GTA 4 did better, ironically. Hopefully, GTA 6 improves on this, making use of new hardware.

While it’s unlikely the sheer scale and density of the open world will be immediately evident from the first trailer, by having some footage be from interior environments, the developers could highlight how they’re focusing more on them for this title. Fans are also super amped for their return to Vice City with this game. Getting a good look at Miami, and the surrounding areas that might be our home for the next decade or so, would be ideal. 

A Release Date

A bit of a no-brainer, but it’s got to be said. Fans have been waiting for this game for a decade, more or less. It’s been a tough road of hype and anticipation to reach this point. And in a way, it’s almost surreal to think the next GTA game could be mere months away. But of course, to satiate fans, Rockstar Games will need to give some semblance of a release date.

Getting a preview, no matter how good, simply won’t feel complete until fans know just when they can get their own hands at this potential masterpiece. That said, one factor to consider is that the game is still in active development. And the developers might not even know themselves when it will be ready to ship. However, considering how long it’s been cooking, I’d bet they have a general idea.

So while an exact release date might still be a pipe dream, I’m fully expecting them to at least share a general release window. Let’s not forget that the studio could benefit a lot from being a bit more transparent and vocal with its community. Back when RDR2 was revealed, the release window for it was said to be Fall 2017. So it’s likely a similar level of vagueness can be expected in GTA 6’s trailer.