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During an interview with IGN, Rob Nelson, the head of development and co-studio head at Rockstar North, explained the design decisions behind making Jason and Lucia's relationship key to the story but not to the gameplay mechanics.
"I have to say it feels great — if you are into it as a concept. Don’t bother with it if you aren’t. Up to you," said Nelson. Jason and Lucia will always have each other's backs in the story and during the action, but spending quality time together and nurturing the relationship? That's up to the player, and you won't be penalized if you're not interested in the sappy stuff.
"The narrative is structured in such a way that the circumstances they find themselves in require them to stay together for most of the story and work together. At the very least they will get through most things as partners in crime," explained Nelson.
"I don’t want to say too much more about this because I don’t want to spoil anything. It really adds a compelling element to things, and it’s one of the reasons we wanted to approach this sort of story, because it's completely different for us. Could we bring some sort of emotional resonance to GTA for people if they wanted to engage with it? Could we also provide mechanisms for people to just opt out of it if they're not into it? If they feel like, ‘I don't want a relationship in this?’ That's what we're going to find out. It's not something that we want to foist upon players."
For players that want to spend time together, the vast map of Leonida offers plenty of opportunities for the quality time Nelson mentioned.
"Robbing places together, or walking around, holding hands, going to a zoo, studying animals, going scuba diving, parachuting, walking on the beach, kayaking…," he said.
"When you bring them together, it feels like you’re a steward of their relationship, and you feel protective of them as a unit. But this is something we did not know when we started, and it really had to be something we felt our way through. But I will say that whether you’re getting in trouble, or you’re running from the cops, or getting in a car, or waiting for the other one — playing as them together feels very cool. It feels like you’re taking care of them, if that’s something you’re into."
Grand Theft Auto 6 will be released on November 19.
GTA 6 on IGN: All Our Exclusive Stories
- We visited Rockstar North to see GTA 6 and came away seriously impressed by a live gameplay demo. The 30-minute play session showcased a Grand Theft Auto with a huge emphasis on the little details that make an open world feel like a real place.
- We spoke to Rob Nelson, co-studio head of Rockstar North, to learn about how GTA 6 is building on the series’ almost 30-year legacy: “It’s a Step Forward in All Respects.”
- Across both the new “Extended Look” video and the demo session we saw at Rockstar, we’ve learned many new gameplay details.
- GTA 6 will feature ‘a Very Big Map’ that’s home to its most complex world yet.
- That world features the same style of satirical humour GTA is historically known for, but Rockstar admits it has to be “careful” with its jokes.
- The developer considered four protagonists for GTA 6 before settling on a criminal couple.
- Jason and Lucia’s Bonnie and Clyde-style romance is optional, and can be played more like a platonic partnership.
- With over a decade of anticipation, Rockstar is “nervous” about the pressure to deliver.
Rachel Weber is the Head of Editorial Development at IGN and an elder millennial. She's been a professional nerd since 2006 when she got her start on Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK, and has since worked for GamesIndustry.Biz, Rolling Stone and GamesRadar. She loves horror, horror movies, horror games, Red Dead Redemption 2, and her Love and Deepspace boyfriends.
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