If the abundance of wildlife species, the intricately detailed regions, and the massive scope of the world weren’t enough, Grand Theft Auto 6 defies its predecessors with advanced weather systems. As covered in Game Informer’s cover story (via IGN), that includes “moving storm systems,” so one area could see rain while another is completely dry.
And that’s only the start. Rockstar vice president of art for lighting and rendering Owen Shepherd revealed that “GTA 6’s rain creates realistic rainbows under the right lighting conditions, and that recently showered areas will remain wet on the ground and create persistent puddles once the storm passes.”
Of course, those expecting even more extreme conditions can look forward to tropical storms and even hurricanes. Game Informer noted that “heavy clouds, strong winds, dense atmospherics and a lot of rain combine so that everything is dripping wet, water is gushing off roof edges and lampposts, thunder rumbles and flashes of lightning light up the clouds dramatically.”
While these should make for visually arresting scenarios, we’re curious how they could affect gameplay. Will storms make it easier to evade police, with the added risk of death or even flipping your car at high speeds on slick roads? Can flying too close to an active hurricane impact your mission? How much of this plays into the story?
It’s a lot to take in, and that’s not even accounting for the impact on Leonida’s NPCs. Will streets become less crowded when it rains heavily? What about shops closing early because of a hurricane warning? Time will tell, but given the thought that Rockstar has put into the world and its systems, it wouldn’t be surprising.
Grand Theft Auto 6 launches on November 19th for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and despite numerous delays, it seems to be on track at long last. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.
