By Jacob Miller | Sep 02, 2026
Alongside the excitement, there's also been an ongoing investigation tied to the game. Ahead of the official Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer, a leaker began releasing footage online that appeared to show an earlier build of the game, a move that reportedly frustrated developers at Rockstar Games. Take-Two Interactive has since taken legal action, filing subpoenas as part of its effort to identify the individual responsible.
Running Controls Get a Modern Update
New details about the game have emerged thanks to a YouTuber who had the chance to spend a couple of hours playing Grand Theft Auto 6 during a hands-on session at Rockstar North. Among several topics discussed, one key change involves how running works compared to GTA 5 at launch. Rather than requiring players to repeatedly tap a button to keep their character sprinting, GTA 6 simplifies the process significantly. Players will only need to press the left analog stick to set either Lucia or Jason into a full run, and that sprint will continue automatically until the player either stops moving entirely or presses the stick again. While it might sound like a minor adjustment, it's a control players will rely on constantly, making the change far more impactful than it might initially seem.
When Grand Theft Auto 5 and GTA Online first launched, players were required to rapidly tap a button just to get their character running. Beyond simply being tiring over long play sessions, this system could also make high-pressure moments, like gunfights, noticeably harder to survive. Rockstar eventually updated GTA 5 to allow players to run by holding the analog stick instead, but that change didn't arrive until several years after launch. Considering players endured the original tap-to-run system for roughly a decade, many fans will likely be relieved that Rockstar isn't bringing that same approach back for GTA 6.
A Sign of Growing Accessibility Focus
The controls demonstrated during the preview session with Rockstar North will probably be the default at launch. But maybe players get to further customize controls too. Gaming has seen a growing focus on accessibility from both hardware manufacturers and developers in recent years. The industry has become used to, and welcomed, offering options such as turning tap-based mechanics into simple toggles, or offering alternative control schemes altogether. Grand Theft Auto 6 is already proving to be a commercial success, reportedly making $1 billion within its first hour of sales, and expanding accessibility would only help the game reach and retain an even larger audience.
Early impressions suggest that GTA 6's gameplay is proving just as impressive as its visuals, and small quality-of-life improvements like this one are playing a real role in that reception. Whether Grand Theft Auto 6 can fully live up to the enormous expectations surrounding it remains to be seen. With Rockstar continuing to reassure fans that no further delays are planned, players won't have to wait much longer to experience it for themselves.
