Rockstar has established a new team in Los Angeles focused on creating more lifelike non-playable characters for Grand Theft Auto 6

Image credit: Rockstar Games

Rockstar Games has assembled a specialized team dedicated to enhancing the realism of non-playable characters (NPCs) in the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6.

This team, composed of writers, directors, and producers based in Los Angeles, has crafted these characters with meticulous attention to detail. Each character has been "art-directed individually," according to Aaron Garbut, co-head of Rockstar North, as reported by The New York Times.

"Every area in the game has been carefully considered," Garbut stated. "The placement of characters, their activities, the surroundings—everything from wall photos to table marks has been designed to reflect a realistic environment."

Rob Nelson, another co-head at Rockstar North, regards GTA 6 as a significant advancement from what the studio achieved with Red Dead Redemption 2 in terms of precision and scope.

"After achieving a high level of interactive detail in a less populated historical setting, we began envisioning its application to a dense, modern setting," Nelson recounted.

Rockstar announced that GTA 6 will contain over 600,000 animations for NPCs, a substantial increase from the 300,000 in Red Dead Redemption 2 and the 55,000 in GTA 5. Vice City, the game's setting, is twice as large as Los Santos, with a map expanding to three times the size of Red Dead Redemption 2.

During an appearance on Kinda Funny Gamescast, Nelson confirmed that GTA 6 will not include generative AI or microtransactions.

An expanded preview on Netflix showcased these features, underlining the game's intricate interactivity as mentioned by Nelson and Garbut, alongside its narrative, combat, and gameplay elements.

According to Sensor Tower data, Netflix US saw a 35% increase in mobile viewership during the preview, leading to service disruptions on both Netflix and Twitch.