GTA 6 Edge Preview: A Map Twice GTA 5's Size, Heat System and Criminal Profile

Edge magazine has published the most detailed look at GTA 6 so far. For its November issue (Edge 430, on sale October 29, with the full feature free to read on GamesRadar+), writer Simon Parkin visited Rockstar North in Edinburgh a few weeks before launch. Co-studio head Rob Nelson then played the current build for about 90 minutes with no script, while Nelson, Aaron Garbut and Phil Hooker explained how the game works.

Because the details come from Rockstar's own developers and from the game played in front of the writer, we mark them as confirmed. Here is what is new.

How big is the GTA 6 map?

Rockstar finally gave a scale. The map is roughly twice the size of GTA 5's, and Rockstar says Leonida's total landmass, Vice City included, is nearly as large as the playable maps of GTA 4, GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 combined. There is still no square-mile figure. Our GTA 6 map size page has the details, and you can explore the known areas on our interactive map.

Garbut stressed density over size: the game has "an order of magnitude more interiors" than earlier GTAs, which fits what Rockstar told Bloomberg about hundreds of interiors. Roads have also been narrowed from GTA 5's wide streets to feel more realistic.

Longer days and real weather

• A slower day-night cycle. Rockstar tested GTA 6 with GTA 5's timings and, in Nelson's words, "everything felt too fast". Sunsets and nights now last much longer. No exact length was given.
• Weather that moves. Clouds drift with wind, humidity and season, so you can see a storm far away and drive into it. Roads get wet and dry out again over time. Wind moves trees and waves, rough water rocks boats, and storms can buffet and even lightly damage aircraft. Our GTA 6 weather page covers more.

Police chase what they know about you

The biggest gameplay change is how the law works. A heat system builds a police report as you commit crimes: your description, your clothes, whether you were alone or with your partner, whether CCTV caught you and which weapon you used. Icons on screen show what the police know. Splitting up from your partner, changing clothes or dropping the weapon each removes a piece of that report, so escaping means becoming harder to recognise rather than waiting for stars to fade.

People also react to how you carry weapons. A shotgun slung on your back is one thing; one held in your hands makes crowds edge away, and some people will challenge you. Small crimes don't always bring a wanted level straight away.

In the demo, police laid a stinger strip across a dark road, and after the crash a K9 unit's dog caught Jason and pinned him down. See our wanted system and police page.

Criminal Profile and the relationship meter

• Criminal Profile. Your play style is tracked on a scale from Professional to Irredeemable, shown with angel and devil icons. You can knock enemies out or intimidate them instead of killing them. Rockstar says the profile changes how the story unfolds.
• Relationship. Jason and Lucia's closeness is measured on a four-point scale that grows as you spend time together: beach walks, cycling, the gym or just driving around. You can switch between them when the story allows. Nelson would not confirm or deny whether the couple can marry. More on our relationships page.

Stealing cars and making money

• Some drivers run when you try to take their car; others are armed and fight back.
• Newer, expensive cars can carry trackers that report your position to the police.
• Every vehicle now has a fuel gauge and an engine health readout. Fuel lasts a long time and refuelling is quick.
• A phone app called WAINK lists cars that fences want, with their security and tracking features. Payment depends on the car's condition when you deliver it.
• The Scooter Bros app delivers one of your own cars for a small fee in a few seconds, and your weapons are kept in its trunk.
• Story missions have some natural pauses: sometimes Jason and Lucia need to raise money first, for example by robbing a gas station or jewellery store. Our make money guide will be updated at launch.

Living in Leonida

The game has working buses and trains. Phil Hooker says he has memorised the routes. NPCs have personality traits that decide how they react, backed by around 600,000 animations, and random events can pull you off course. In one, a group in a 4x4 kept taunting Jason until he agreed to a street race. Jason can also drink coffee for stamina and protein shakes for health.

Is GTA 6 ready?

Nelson told Edge simply: "It's ready." The game launches on November 19, 2026 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with preloading from November 12. See the release date page for everything about launch.