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Technology
March 30, 2026 at 02:25 AM
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Grand Theft Auto VI runs on an updated version of Rockstar's proprietary RAGE (Rockstar Advanced Game Engine). The engine has powered every Rockstar title since GTA IV in 2008, with each iteration bringing substantial improvements. Rockstar has not publicly assigned a version number ("RAGE 9" is a community label, not official).
Rockstar confirmed that all footage in Trailer 2 was "recorded on PlayStation 5," establishing that the visual quality shown represents the console build's actual output.
Ray-traced global illumination and reflections are visible throughout both trailers. This produces realistic light bouncing in interiors, on wet surfaces, and across glass-fronted buildings in Vice City. The neon-lit nightlife scenes in particular demonstrate dynamic reflections on rain-slicked streets and car bodywork.
Vehicle mirrors display real-time reflections of the environment behind the car, a technical achievement given the detail level of the surrounding world. This is visible during driving sequences in both first-person and third-person views.
Characters use strand-based hair simulation, where individual hair strands react to wind, movement, and gravity in real time. This is most visible on Lucia's hair during outdoor scenes. Characters' hair also appears to grow over time, suggesting an in-game time progression system affecting appearance.
Clothing physics are similarly advanced. Loose clothing items (shirts, jackets, dresses) move independently in response to wind and character movement. Fabric folds and creases change dynamically based on body position.
Vehicle interiors feature working speedometers, tachometers, fuel gauges, and other dashboard instruments. Rearview mirrors show accurate real-time reflections. Vehicle deformation is physics-based, with damage affecting body panels, bumpers, hoods, and individual parts of the chassis differently depending on impact angle and force.
Tire marks persist dynamically on road surfaces. Road textures change in response to weather conditions, with wet asphalt reflecting light differently than dry surfaces.
The game features volumetric clouds and dynamic weather systems. Rain is visible in multiple trailer scenes, with puddle reflections on road surfaces and realistic wet textures on buildings and vehicles. The Grassrivers swamp region shows dense fog and atmospheric haze effects.
Day-night cycles are confirmed through trailer footage showing sunrise, midday, sunset, and nighttime scenes. Lighting conditions change dramatically between time periods, with Vice City's neon coming alive at night.
A Rockstar developer mentioned "procedural generation for objects and environments" in a GDC-adjacent presentation, as reported by Tweaktown. This likely refers to procedurally placed environmental details (vegetation, debris, smaller objects) rather than procedurally generated landmass, but Rockstar has not elaborated on this.
NPC density in Vice City appears significantly higher than in GTA V's Los Santos, with crowded sidewalks, busy traffic, and populated beaches visible in trailer footage.
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick stated that Rockstar is not using generative AI for world building in GTA VI. The world is hand-crafted by the development team. This statement was made during an investor Q&A.
The game launches on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19, 2026. No PC version has been announced. Rockstar has not disclosed resolution or frame rate targets for either console.
