A new GTA 6 leak occured on Reddit. A user herenthere4six posted that he did quality assurance testing for RDR 2 and GTA 6. He claims the latter started preproduction in 2014. He was using a PS5 devkit (although PS5 isn't there yet, large game studios can receive special pre-release device for testing called developer kit). The game entered large scale development sometime around 2016 during the timeframe Rockstar begin marketing Red Dead Redemption 2. Half the studios went full force on RDR, the other half on GTA 6.

Here are the main points:

  • RDR2 was a huge project, a ton of passion and blood was put into it. The heads kept pushing the studio to create a state of the art game with attention to details in the wildlife. This project sucked the soul out of just about everyone. But RDR2 was also a graphics test before GTA 6. Rockstar wants GTA 6 to be a new generation game that pushes the bar, that's why it won't be suitable for PS4 and Xbox One.
  • GTA 5 is the main game that still brings Rockstar profit after so many years (since the era of PS3 and Xbox 360). The game that just "keeps on giving".
  • RDR 2's engine is a predecessor of GTA 6. Although there is only one mission to fly in the sky in RDR 2 and see the amazingly realistic volumetric clouds, this graphics will be reused in GTA 6, where air travel will be an important focus. The author states he was able to fly a military jet called Sunsiege and the world in GTA 6 looks astonishing. It will raise open world games to unseen limits. It almost felt like a privilege to play this game, even in a development stage, before anyone else. On the ground everything is not so pretty yet. Many buildings and locations are still to be done. However, the results seem to be very promising.
  • There will be realistic atmospheric effects like hurricanes, morning fog, etc.
  • The map is incredibly huge. That's why air travel plays an important role. GTA 5 looks like a schoolyard playground (it's scary even to imagine).
  • The playable game territory (which implies there will be also locations without open world) consists of two major cities: Carcer City (dirty East Coast area based on Boston, Massachusetts) and Vice City (based on Miami, Florida). There are three states on the map. Every county has its name.
  • It's easy to get lost in Carcer City since many roads are swirling. It also has satirical landmarks. Blue line train can take you to the airport.
  • There are numerous towns, waterfronts, suburbs and wilderness between the two cities. A military base is located in Vice City area.
  • The landscape varies from farmland and seasides in Massachusetts, red oak forests, fields and towns to marshy grassland and swampy Florida countryside. Although it's weird to see no major cities between Boston and Miami.
  • There are small chunks of islands based on Florida Keys archipelago (south of Miami) with a highway bridge connecting them. The bridge is shorter than in reality.
  • The water effects are stunning, like in "Sea of Thieves". It is possible to explore the underwater world.
  • The map design in GTA 6 is the most authentic ever from Rockstar. The game world is insanely huge and richly detailed. The nature feels spacious and not compressed like in GTA 5. It will take many hours to memorize this map without using a radar.
  • GTA 6 may feature multiple protagonists. Two of them are probably siblings. One of them is an undercover cop.
  • Mission system is updated. You can permanently abandon some missions or take different routes. Of course there will be consequences. Each protagonist can create their own stories, but the general story line ends the same way.
  • Some vehicles resemble those from GTA 4 and GTA 5 but more detailed than ever.
  • Shooting system, running and climbing animations are still under development. At the moment they are using the driving system from GTA 5. It will be refactored eventually but the main focus currently is the map.
  • First person mode will be included.
  • HUD is still far from being over. There is a basic circular radar like in RDR2 and GTA 4 but this will most definitely change. They haven't picked a font for vehicle names and ammo count yet.
  • GTA 6 has a weapon selection wheel from GTA 5. Weapon range already includes AK47, pump shotgun, glock, baseball bat.
  • Police features a very robust and tactical AI. NOOSE agents and cops can split into teams of two to surround you. NOOSE can use riot shields and shoot tear gas from grenade launchers. They can even walk behind a slowly moving SWAT van covering each other like in a movie. Police can get shotguns from the trunk.
  • Unlike in GTA 5, the maximum wanted level is now 6 stars (like in GTA 4). The military is involved at six stars. It takes time for them to arrive from the military base.
  • The author says the game is a technology beast. A splendor of modern game design with a Hollywood budget. Hard to imagine how much money was spent on it.
  • Conclusion: GTA 6 feels like Rockstar's ultimate game, so huge and realistic that they could retire in peace and never have to make another GTA. It's impossible to imagine how they can outmatch it. This game is definitely worth all the waiting.

The author finishes by telling that he thought a leak would be fun to heat up the interest of fans. He is also confident he won't get caught.

As usual, the post was removed from Reddit. Luckily someone made a screenshot: