Lucia Caminos tells her partner in crime, Jason Duval, “Relationships are about communication, Jay,” as the game’s dual protagonists rush through Vice City’s streets late for an outing. Jason apologizes.
The exchange between the characters was featured in a 27-minute video preview for the long-awaited sixth installment of the game, which Rockstar Games unveiled in a hyped-up online event Netflix hosted Thursday.
Fans were given a closer look at a game that had been in development for more than a decade through the teaser, which was entirely captured from in-game video on the PlayStation 5. However, a hack that occurred last week resulted in the public disclosure of game content, complicating what was intended to be a landmark moment for the franchise. In recent years, Netflix has increased its commitment to the gaming industry. “Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — The Definitive Edition” was previously made available to Netflix subscribers via the Apple App Store, Google Play, and the Netflix mobile app through a partnership with Rockstar. The head of Netflix’s nonfiction series, Brandon Riegg, referred to the fan enthusiasm for the game as “unprecedented.” “Grand Theft Auto reveals have become cultural moments in their own right,” he told Netflix’s online publication, Tudum.
The game’s newest installment will allow players to toggle between the perspectives of Jason and Lucia, who exhibit a Bonnie-and-Clyde dynamic as the player follows their story.
The preview began by showing the pair getting caught up in a drug bust, in which Jason pauses to pet a dog on their way into a pickup that ends in a shootout with police. Later, when Jason shoots out the window and Lucia takes the wheel during a police chase, the dual perspectives of the protagonists come into play. Outside of their life of crime, the first look gives a glimpse at the range of leisure activities available to the player — including shooting basketball, diving in the ocean, weightlifting, jet skiing and dancing at a strip club.
The online user claiming responsibility for the hack cited frustration with the video game industry’s shift away from physical media and toward digital ownership — a growing source of tension between publishers and players. The game’s cost and delayed release have also been criticized by fans. Rockstar Games acknowledged the leak in a statement Wednesday, calling it “heartbreaking” for the team. “And this is obviously not how we intended for you to see the game after all this time,” it wrote.
The statement continued, “We are very sorry that everything has taken as long as it has, from getting the game finished (nearly there!) to sharing additional information, official gameplay, and everything else you need to know with the community.” The company urged players to “wait a bit longer” until November 19, when “GTA VI” will be released for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Netflix has not commented on the leak. In the lead-up to the exclusive preview, it leaned into the game’s passionate fan base.
