Edge's November 2026 issue, number 430, on sale from October 29, puts GTA 6 on its cover. Its writer, Simon Parkin, visited Rockstar North in Edinburgh a few weeks before the release and watched Rob Nelson, the studio's co-head, play the current build for 90 minutes, without a script. The story, also free to read on GamesRadar+, adds facts Rockstar had not given before. Here is what is new, according to Edge.
A map nearly the size of three Rockstar games
Leonida is roughly twice the size of GTA 5's map, Edge writes, and Rockstar says its total landmass, Vice City and the surrounding areas included, is nearly as large as the playable maps of GTA 4, GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 combined. Rockstar still gives no area in square miles: our guide to Leonida's regions sums up what is known.
What strikes Edge most is the density. Aaron Garbut, the studio's other co-head, says the game has "an order of magnitude more interiors" than its predecessors, and that after years in it he still comes across places he had never seen. Roads are narrower than GTA 5's, for "a more believable size", and the day-night cycle is much longer: at GTA 5's pace, Nelson says, "everything felt too fast".
Weather you can see coming
Clouds move on their own, driven by wind, humidity, fog, the time of day and the season. From a sunny street you can watch a storm build in the distance; roads get wet, buildings drip once it has passed, and surfaces dry at different rates. Wind moves trees and waves, a boat rides rougher in open water than in a sheltered bay, and a plane or helicopter that stays in a storm is buffeted and can take light damage. Pedestrians look for shelter. Game Informer had revealed the storms and hurricanes: see our article on its cover story.
Police: what they know about you
Edge describes a "heat" system. Icons at the top of the screen show what the police know: your description, whether you were alone or with your partner, what you wore, whether a CCTV camera caught you, and the weapon you carried. Each can be shaken off: split up, change clothes, drop the weapon.
Pedestrians notice how you carry a gun, slung on your back or in your hands, and some will challenge you, but the game leaves some latitude before a wanted level. In Nelson's demo, police laid a stinger strip across the road and a K9 unit's dog pinned Jason down. In a getaway, you can switch to the passenger to shoot while your partner drives.
Cars: fuel, trackers and Scooter Bros
Every vehicle has a fuel gauge and an engine health readout, according to Edge. Cars go a long way before running low, and refueling is quick. With the Scooter Bros app, someone delivers your car within a few seconds for a modest fee, then rides off on the scooter they came with; your weapons are stashed in its trunk.
Stealing a car carries more risk: some drivers flee, others are armed and fight back, a newer, expensive car may have a tracker, and owners can report the theft. The Waink app lists the models fences want, with their security and tracking; higher-end ones ping their position to the police, and part of your pay depends on the car's condition on delivery.
Story: the Criminal Profile and the couple
The Criminal Profile tracks how Jason and Lucia behave, on a scale from "Professional" to "Irredeemable" shown by angel and devil icons. A calculating criminal can incapacitate an enemy, or threaten and intimidate, rather than kill; those who shoot first build a violent profile. Rockstar says the profile will influence how the story unfolds.
The couple's closeness is measured on a four-point scale that grows with time spent together: walks on the beach, cycling, the gym once you have bought a membership, or simply driving around. Nelson would neither confirm nor deny that they can marry, and they can never part for good. Between story missions, you may first have to raise money for the next job, by holding up a gas station or a jewelry store, or by stealing a car a fence wants.
Buses, trains and everyday life
Leonida has working bus and train systems: Phil Hooker, another head of development, told Edge he has memorized every route. In the demo, a cup of coffee boosted Jason's stamina and a protein shake his health, and a street race began when a carload of young drivers kept taunting Nelson until he accepted. Rockstar art-directed every pedestrian, with around 600,000 animations, and gave each traits, such as temperament and aggression, that shape how they react to you.
GTA 6 comes out on November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S: our release time by country gives the exact unlock time where you are, and our guide to GTA 6's gameplay features gathers what the previews revealed.
