Grand Theft Auto 6′s second trailer is full of a variety of motion, crime, and vehicular mayhem. That is the sort of stuff you anticipate to see in a GTA recreation. However what it additionally incorporates is one thing we’ve by no means actually seen earlier than in a Grand Theft Auto sequel: a pair cuddling and having an actual relationship. And that’s the a part of GTA 6 that stunned me essentially the most.

Launched on Might 6 with no warning, Grand Theft Auto 6‘s second trailer arrived over a 12 months after its first and featured much more of Jason and Lucia, the 2 most important characters on this upcoming Rockstar open-world sequel set in Vice Metropolis and its surrounding state of Leonida. We already knew that this new sequel would function the couple in a giant approach, however that trailer appears to counsel that Rockstar is aiming to make them a plausible, relatable, and dare I say, cute couple.

One second that actually caught out to me within the trailer as one thing we’ve by no means actually seen in a GTA recreation earlier than occurs on the very finish. Jason is laying on the sofa half asleep and watching TV. Lucia enters the living room, tosses her keys on the table and collapses onto Jason to cuddle with him. It’s the sort of second that most individuals in loving relationships have skilled. Your important different will get again from a giant journey, a tough day at work, or another grueling expertise and lands instantly subsequent to or on prime of you for some consolation and love. It’s a cute and real second. And it’s in the midst of a GTA trailer! Unusual.

It is a franchise that has largely handled relationships as jokes. Suppose again to how CJ and Catalina are portrayed in GTA San Andreas. She’s a lunatic and often referred to as horrible names. Equally, in GTA V Michael’s relationship along with his spouse is proven to be a largely poisonous and hostile expertise that solely will get higher on the finish as a consequence of violence. There’s additionally the bit in GTA V the place Trevor kidnaps an previous girl and so they fall in love. And the sooner GTA video games, like Vice Metropolis, largely handled relationships as foolish punchlines about how girls are annoying and controlling. In GTA 3, after saving the girl he apparently “loves,” Claude shoots her offscreen for talking too much! Yikes. The closest GTA has ever gotten to an actual relationship is Nico and Kate in GTA IV. However that’s barely a part of the sport, and when you select the unsuitable choice she will get gunned down by the tip.

Nonetheless, within the trailer for GTA 6, we see Jason and Lucia being an actual couple. They appear genuinely enthralled with one another. The second the place Jason picks Lucia up out of jail and so they smile warmly for a second is so in contrast to something in GTA earlier than. And all through the trailer we see them snuggling, getting intimate, holding one another, kissing, dancing collectively, and even at one level holding palms. In a collection that has featured a lot violence and intercourse, it’s surreal to see two individuals in love and holding palms.

Now the actual query is: will Rockstar be capable of pull off a full 30-70 hour recreation that includes a relatable and caring relationship? I don’t know. We’re actually in uncharted waters for this franchise proper now. However I hope they nail it. I believe if Jason and Lucia’s relationship is the core of GTA 6‘s story, it might assist it not solely stand out from previous GTA video games, but it surely might sign that Rockstar has grown up a bit.

Certain, it’ll nonetheless put in foolish joke merchandise and background indicators that make me roll my eyes. But when, on the entrance and heart of this large AAA online game, there’s a practical and well-done tackle an actual relationship between two individuals, that might be a wild accomplishment that I didn’t anticipate from a franchise well-known for letting you kill intercourse employees to get your a reimbursement.

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